UPDATE: Sinkhole repair works underway
Work on Mtubatuba's sinkhole has commenced but an exact time frame for repairs is yet to be determined.
ONE week after the collapse of a portion of the R618/Riverview Road in Mtubatuba and repair work is underway, although authorities remain uncertain of the duration of the road closure.
According to Thola Dingiswayo, Department of Transport Cost Centre Manager in Hluhluwe, initial investigations revealed excess water beneath the road.
‘We don’t know where the water is coming from and this needs to be determined before the road can be repaired,’ said Dingiswayo.
The Department has appointed a contractor to carry out a thorough investigation and then repair the road.
The contractor has been given three weeks to complete the job but this is currently only a tentative timeframe which will be confirmed once the exact cause and extent of repairs have been determined.
In the meantime, the deviation between Mtubatuba and Riverview is signposted and has been upgraded from dirt to gravel, allowing easier access for non-4 x 4 vehicles.
The Department has also requested the removal of island curbs at the Pick n Pay and mall intersections on the N2/Bhoboza road.
This move will allow motorists to safely enter and exit the mall intersection from both directions, and will give heavy duty trucks more turning space at the Pick n Pay T-junction.
Mtuba Mall management has been asked to keep the mall’s gates open until 9pm.
Motorists are urged to use the gravel deviation only when travelling between Mtubatuba and Riverview or the industrial area.
Anyone travelling to Mtubatuba Town or St Lucia from the N2 must use the St Lucia/Nqodiba exit.
The sinkhole and subsequent road closure have led to much chaos in Mtubatuba, with residents questioning the length of time it has taken to implement these temporary measures.
