Sinkholes in Tshwane are negatively impacting local communities and threatening the safety of citizens, an investigation by GOOD National Chairperson Sam Shabane has revealed.
The serially mismanaged and incompetent Tshwane municipality appears disinterested in fixing the gaping holes, one of which, in Atteridgeville, swallowed a car that the owner was unable to retrieve.
“I undertook four separate fact-finding missions over the past month, visiting communities and assessing the impact these sinkholes have on peoples lives and livelihoods. What I found was that the municipality appears totally disinterested when it comes to servicing poorer communities,” Shabane said. “There’s no way residents of more affluent neighbourhoods would tolerate, or be expected to tolerate, this level of neglect.”
In Atteridgeville, a number of families were forced to abandon their shacks when a months-old sinkhole suddenly began enlarging. Residents reported widespread damage to property. One unfortunate resident who parked his car overnight found that it had sank into the ground the next morning.
The sinkhole has since become a rubbish dump, posing health risks to residents. Children play next to the sinkhole, while local vendors in the vicinity take their chances, unaware of whether the sinkhole will further expand.
Atteridgeville residents have made repeated pleas to the city to fix the growing threat, but they are yet to receive a response. City representatives have visited the site to investigate but repeated claims of “we will look into it” have delivered no resolution.
On the corner of Taljaard and Hendriks Street, in the community of Hercules, a sinkhole has caused local businesses to bleed customers. Their difficulty has been compounded by the Covid pandemic’s negative impact on livelihoods.
“I spoke to a gentleman employed by a local car repair shop, who said walk-in customers had almost entirely disappeared. The blockades erected to prevent cars from driving too close to the sinkhole act as a physical blockage to potential customers. These guys’ jobs are at serious risk,” Shabane said.
The city and provincial governments have acknowledged the problem, but done nothing to address it.
The GOOD Party encourages Tshwane Mayor Williams to acknowledge the failure of his government to remedy the growing problem, and effect urgent repairs.
“What we see on the ground is at odds with the municipality’s claim to be a caring government. If it doesn’t take action there’s a risk of serious disaster. Long-suffering residents deserve more from their elected representatives,” Shabane said.
