Relief as Jean Avenue partially reopens
Jean Avenue in Centurion has been partially reopened after a sinkhole emerged in May 2017, forcing the City of Tshwane to shut down the intersection with Gerhard Street.
The sinkhole was caused by a dolomite.
Tshwane Mayor Solly Msimanga reopened the intersection on Friday morning, where he was also joined by business people.
ALSO READ: Sinkhole repairs making progress, says Tshwane
Msimanga says the reparations cost the city R25 million.
"This has been a tough road for us as a city when this thing started. We had not even budgeted for it.
"This has cost us about R25 million and we understand the frustration the residents and businesses community had to endure throughout the journey.”
#JeanAvenue The ribbon has been cut officially opening parts of Jean Avenue. pic.twitter.com/QTRCzJeuEI
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) August 10, 2018
While most of the road is open to traffic, the west side will only be opened by the end of October.
"We are opening phase one of the road now which will mean that the north, south, and east corridor will be open, in a month or two ,” Msimanga adds.
Businesses around the area have been affected by the sinkhole, with some even closing down.
The Centurion Vista Clinic and Mimmos both say they saw sharp declines in sales and customers, but are now happy to have the intersection partially opened.