Locals worry that a water leak in the street would cause sinkhole
Valhalla residents say their suburb has become a forgotten neighbourhood, as it is increasingly being cut off by sinkholes.
Residents of Aero Street, Valhalla say they are worried a water leak nearby could soon turn into a sinkhole if left unrepaired.
The leak was first reported at the end of September, but is yet to receive attention.
Residents say cracks in the road have spread and worry the leak has already caused a sinkhole.
Valhalla has been plagued by several sinkholes, many of which have been unattended for several years.
Aero Street resident Jane James said she didn’t have proof that it was becoming a sinkhole, but from her experience, she assumed the worst.
“Obviously, this is how sinkholes form. In the past we had one in front of our house and in our neighbour’s back yard. That’s why we are stressing and trying to get someone to come out.”
Several residents met in the street to voice their concerns.
“Someone posted on the Aero Road WhatsApp group that they thought there was an oil leak in the road, but on closer inspection we realised it was water that wasn’t drying up because it was actually a leak,” explained resident Alta Bron.
Residents say they were willing to repair the leak themselves, but were told this would not be possible.
“We understand the legal liability of something like that, but at this stage we are left asking if they understand the liability we are putting ourselves through,” Bron told Rekord.
Bron said the sinkhole in Wierda Road, which had reopened in September, affected traffic in the area severely.
“Because of that we can’t use that route, the traffic is backed up in the morning so badly.”
The residents said they were worried that if a sinkhole formed, their street might end up like Alaric Road, which has been unrepaired for seven years.
They say there are depressions in the road that have been worsening.
They spoke to their ward councillor and on September 26, their complaints was marked “for urgent attention”.
“We try, as residents, to avoid driving over the leak, because it isn’t only a sinkhole that we worry about, but also that it could create potholes.”
However, they said with sinkholes reported on some roads, traffic through the quiet roads in the neighbourhood has increased.
“There is evidence of something not so good already happening under the road.
“We understand there are striking workers that are affecting services, but at the moment this could be fixed in a single day, but we are heading for something that could cost millions and we could sit with the problem for years,” said Bron.
“It feels like we are living in the forgotten neighbourhood of Centurion!” said Sean James.
Tatenda Mwarira, whose parents live in the street, showed Rekord how extra weight near the cracks caused more water to bubble out.
“It’s right by our house, if this happens it could affect our home,” said Mwarira.
Ward 66 councillor Ina Strijdom said she had reported the leak to the relevant authority since she became aware of it, noting that the neighbourhood was sinkhole-prone.
“Unfortunately due to the strike, Water and Sanitation have limited resources.
“I do not have a repair team working exclusively in my ward.”
Strijdom said she would continue to follow up with the department.
“Nobody has forgotten Valhalla,” Strijdom said.
“There are also sinkholes in other suburbs such as Lyttelton, Pierre van Ryneveld and Irene, which have not been attended to for several years.”
She said the budget for sinkhole repairs in Tshwane is R30 million per annum.
“One big sinkhole can unfortunately absorb [all] that.”
She said certain sinkholes in the neighbourhood were not in areas under the metro’s control.
“Tshwane or myself do not have control over sinkholes in military areas such as Paul Kruger and Stephanus Schoeman streets. This has been communicated to the Valhalla residents several times,” she said, adding that she had even reported the Stephanus Schoeman sinkhole to Parliament without success.
The Alaric Road sinkhole was of particular concern for Strijdom, because earlier this year it was third on the repair list.
In June 2022, when its geological investigations and repair methods were being finalised, the city said it would make that report available to the regional operations and co-ordination department.
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