Centurion - Motorists using the northbound carriageway on the R55 Quagga Road in Laudium will have to bear with the inconvenience of using one lane for now, while waiting for Mother Nature.
According to the Gauteng Roads and Transport Department, the sinkhole on the R55 Quagga Road, which appeared last month, has to “fully mature” or collapse completely before repairs can begin.
Spokesperson Mellitah Madiba said the sinkhole was still subsiding and expected to collapse soon.
A section of the R55 has been partially cordoned off due to the sinkhole, and law enforcement agencies have been deployed to the area to monitor the situation.
The sinkhole is 30m deep and 25m wide and will continue to get deeper, officials have said.
Madiba also the department was investigating alternative repair methodologies and sourcing the services of experienced geotechnical engineering companies to carry out a detailed inspection of the affected area.
“A team of departmental engineers is monitoring developments around the sinkhole 24 hours to ensure the safety of road users,” she said.
A preliminary report compiled by the technical team estimated that around R50 million would be needed to repair it.
It also estimated that it may take over six months to complete the repairs once the sinkhole had fully collapsed.
Two homes have been affected by the ground collapse.
Affected resident Khalid Esmail said he welcomed the government’s support for security during this time. He was concerned about people stopping to take pictures, which was not safe for them.
Last month, soon after the appearance of the sinkhole, Gauteng Premier David Makhura mayor Solly Msimanga and Transport MEC Dr Ismail Vadi visited the area.
During their visit they reported there were 24 sinkholes in the metro alone, 23 of which were in the Centurion, Laudium and Olievenhoutbosch region.
According to Vadi, the moving target was growing bigger and bigger. “Heavy rainfalls are playing an integral part.”
There were at least eight sinkholes to be attended to in Laudium, and some had not been repaired for two years.
According to Vadi, the Centurion area, especially along the R55, was particularly prone to sinkholes because of the high dolomite presence.
Last month a Mazda 6 fell into a sinkhole on Stephanus Schoeman Road in Centurion due to heavy rains.
In it was Mpho Borodi who was driving to work when the weight of his car was suddenly too heavy for the ground during a storm.
Another massive sinkhole in Centurion, on the corner of Gerhard Street and Jean Avenue, is nder repair, costing the City R45 million.