Msimanga: No Tshwane houses in danger from sinkholes

Msimanga visited the R55 in Laudium where a major sinkhole fell in following heavy rain over the Easter weekend. 

"Centurion is very hard hit. In Valhalla we already have three major ones that are developing which are dealing with as well. You know about the Jean Avenue one which is already now 36% complete and we have another one which is 75% complete right now."

At least eight sinkholes have been reported in Laudium at the weekend.

The sinkhole on the R55 is about 30 meters deep, 35 meters long and 25 meters wide.

The Centurion and Valhalla neighbourhoods are situated in dolomatic areas.

While Gauteng government officials are on high alert for possible threat to lives caused by sinkholes reported in the City of Tshwane, they say fixing them will cost the state coffers millions.

Government officials are currently treating three sinkholes, while the next three will receive attention in the next financial year and the last two will be temporarily treated.

The price tag to fix the sinkholes could increase to millions of rand.

Gauteng Transport MEC Ishmael Vadi cautioned that workers' safety could be threatened, if they continue with maintenance work on the R55 sinkhole.

"On a technical level, they are advising that we must allow the sinkhole to actually collapse because if we start trying to do some maintenance work here you might put the workers at risk."