MEREBANK residents fear for their safety as a growing sinkhole, caused by a burst underground pipe, threatens to swallow parts of their neighbourhood — yet eThekwini Municipality remains unresponsive.

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Residents are raising safety concerns after a sinkhole, caused by an underground burst pipe, has led to the collapse of a nearby palisade fence.

The growing sinkhole, which continues to widen, has raised fears that further damage might lead to mudslides and potentially cause the collapse of their homes.

Ward committee member, Neil Pather, highlighted the urgency of the situation, especially as children continue to play around the sinkhole, which has been partially barricaded. He said the sinkhole has been left unattended from January 24.

“We reported to the municipal WhatsApp channel, but it was never fixed. It has been barricaded, however, children can still remove these barricades and fall inside the sinkhole. It is frightening because it has been reported to all the relevant authorities, from the Roads Department to eThekwini Municipality, but nothing is happening,” said Pather.

The sinkhole, which began as a small hole in a stormwater drain, has widened, leading to the collapse of the surrounding wall.

“Children can fall into this sinkhole and get hurt or possibly even die,” added Pather.
Another concerned resident, Saroja Govender, called for immediate intervention from all relevant government officials.

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“Motorists could drive straight into this sinkhole at night. It’s quite large, and it gets bigger every week due to the water gushing down from the burst pipe,” she explained.

Residents are demanding that authorities take swift action to address the issue before a tragedy occurs. Ward 68 councillor, Aubrey Snyman, said he inspected the sinkhole on Dinapur Road.

“This matter has been forwarded to the Roads and Stormwater Department for urgent repairs,” he said.

Last month, the municipality received the mid-year performance assessment report which reflected the municipality’s service delivery performance for the first six months of the 2024/ 25 financial year.

The assessment report revealed that eThekwini Municipality achieved 68.07% as of December 31.

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