General Communication Manager, Vusi Mona, told OFM News that this is due to a sinkhole that was reported in that area. He further said that SANRAL is busy with preliminary assessments at the moment to determine the causes. However, possible causes could include groundwater dewatering, or leaking of bulk and stormwater pipes in the vicinity of the sinkhole.

Mona explained, when asked how they knew it was a sinkhole, that a sinkhole is a closed natural depression in the ground surface caused by the removal of material below the ground and the surface either collapse or gradually subside into the resulting void. The sinkhole is approximately 10m deep with a width of 20m and length of 30m and it is just off the paved road.

He concluded by saying that the decision of how long the road will be closed will be taken in the next 24 hours, once all the preliminary assessments have been completed. For now, people are urged to use alternative roads.

OFM News