Springs motorists will have to be patient for longer as repairs to the sinkhole on Snake Road remain delayed.

Despite initial communication that repairs to the sinkhole on Snake Road, which reportedly started forming in July last year, would be completed by the end of June, the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport says further investigations are needed before rehabilitation work can begin.

According to King Mthombeni, directorate: communications and media liaison for the department, technical assessments identified the need for further investigations.

“Underground inspections, ground-penetrating radar testing and drilling to examine the extent of cavities under the road surface need to be conducted before rehabilitation and repairs can proceed.”

In a statement released by the provincial government on January 8, it was stated that a contractor had been appointed to investigate the sinkhole and determine the methodology for repairs.

Snake Road is a main arterial route between Brakpan and Benoni and falls under the jurisdiction of the Gauteng Provincial Government.

At the time, cordons were placed around the sinkhole, which is on the left shoulder of the road towards Golden Drive.

Between Pioneer and Golden drives, north-south lane conversions had been implemented, directing traffic from Brakpan to merge into the oncoming right-hand lane in an effort to ease congestion while keeping the road open to motorists.

Sinkholes hamper travel to major highways
The Snake Road sinkhole is not an isolated phenomenon in Ekurhuleni.

The northbound hard shoulder of Rondebult Road in Boksburg was partially swallowed by a sinkhole, hampering traffic travelling between the N17 and N12.

In February 2023, a large section of the road between Pretoria and Cason roads was closed, with repairs still outstanding.

On August 28, 2023, the Boksburg Advertiser reported that the delay had been attributed to a stalemate between the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) and the Council for Geoscience (CGS) over who should take responsibility for the repairs: the municipality or the provincial Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).

The metro had referred the matter to the CGS for further investigations because it believed the sinkhole might have resulted from mining activities in the area, which would place responsibility for repairs on the DMRE.

However, the CGS referred the matter back to the metro, saying the city was responsible. No workable solution has been established.

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CPF weighs in
Benoni CPF chairperson Dr Reza Patel said traffic congestion and delays on Snake Road had not had a direct impact on local crime statistics, but cited incidents of smash-and-grabs on the stretch of road, particularly during the winter months.

“During winter the sun rises later and sets earlier, making motorists more vulnerable to criminal elements. Although smash-and-grabs did not increase substantially, incidents were reported,” he said.

He continued by saying that, for those travelling from the N12 onto Snake Road, the sudden merging of all southbound traffic into a single lane had led to near-collisions.

“The road is incredibly dark, and the absence of early warning signage indicating the merge has contributed to driver frustration as well as late reactions to sudden oncoming traffic,” he said.

Mthombeni said barricades remained an interim safety measure at the affected section.

“Motorists are urged to exercise caution, reduce speed and observe all safety measures in an effort to prevent collisions.”