As it becomes more evident that the ANC led Tshwane Council is ignoring the urgent need to upgrade infrastructure in the Laudium/Erasmia area, residents are once more raising the alarm bells regarding more sinkholes appearing in the area.
While the Council pleads ‘poverty,’ thus not giving priority in attending to ailing water and sewage pipes, millions of rand is still being squandered with inflated tenders awarded to family and friends. Residents say that the Council is well aware that the entire area is dolomatic, thus any water leaks underground could fast track the formation of sinkholes, yet the Council is ignoring the urgent need to replace these ailing pipes.
This follows residents and businesses in the 13th Avenue, Laudium area, complaining of numerous cracks appearing on the street with one area even sinking in, resulting in a hole widening and deepening. Residents say that the deepening hole at the corner of 13th Avenue and Emerald Street is now leading to a sinkhole and fear that it could spread rapidly in the area, fearing that part of the street could soon collapse. There is also fear from businesses trading in the area, that vehicles and pedestrians using the busy street face imminent danger and are thus calling on Cllr Patel and the Council to act immediately in attending to the problem.
Laudium resident, Bobby Pillay, who frequently uses 13th Avenue, told the Laudium Sun, “The hole on 13th Avenue is growing larger by the day and I fear that if it’s not attended to immediately, there could be a huge sinkhole resulting in parts of the street collapsing. Many people rely on this busy 13th Ave for daily commuting, running errands and accessing schools and businesses, making the potential risk even more critical. The danger is not limited to residents living along the street. There are numerous children who use this street as several schools are located nearby. Parents and guardians are worried about their children’s safety, knowing that a sinkhole could put them at serious risk while they travel to and from school. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorists who use the road regularly are all exposed to the potential threat and the growing size of the sinkhole makes it unpredictable and increasingly hazardous. There are also noticeable cracks spreading across the street and sections of the street appear to be sinking gradually. With these heavy rains that we have been having, it could trigger a disaster of significant proportions.”
David Joshua, a business owner on 13th Avenue, told the Laudium Sun, “I was the first person to warn people of the hole by placing a large rock near the hole and also placing a rock and sticks in the hole, because it is really dangerous, especially for school children. The hole is becoming much bigger every day and could anytime form a huge sinkhole, with a major part of the street falling in. Someone could get hurt or even killed. The Council must immediately come and fix this hole and replace the old water pipes underground. There are hundreds of school children and pedestrians who cross this street daily, thus they face a serious danger, with pedestrians and cars passing through at night facing danger too. The risk of the street collapsing is real and accidents can happen at any time. Even with the rocks placed to warn people, the danger remains because the hole is expanding rapidly. The street is one of the busiest in Laudium and the constant flow of people and vehicles adds to the risk.”
13th Avenue resident, Nireen Naidoo, told the Laudium Sun, “The Council must come and fix this problem immediately because we are not living in a village where we as residents have to put rocks and sticks to close off the hole ourselves. We pay Rates & Taxes and now the Politicians and Council officials need to treat us as human beings, not like animals. The community is calling on the Council to intervene immediately and implement a permanent solution before the situation escalates further. Temporary fixes will not be enough, as the hole continues to expand and any delay could result in severe consequences to both property and human life. The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. If the authorities fail to act quickly, there could be a serious natural disaster occurring, affecting hundreds of people who live, work and travel through the area. Residents of Laudium are anxious and frustrated, hoping that swift action will prevent what could become a devastating incident for the entire community.”
