Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi, today reported in the Gauteng provincial legislature that repair work to the sinkhole on the R500 will begin shortly as his department was finalising the tender documents for the project.
In responding to a legislature question from opposition DA MPL, Ms A Cilliers, he said that the delay in embarking on the repairs to the roadside sinkhole was necessitated by a revised specialist report on the sinkhole formation, which indicated that rehabilitation work had to be done on the road itself to prevent any further deterioration of the road and to minimise risks to motorists.
“It is necessary for the department to include the repair work to the road itself and to obtain expert assistance with the preparation of the tender documents as sinkhole repairs is a specialist area,” he explained.
It is anticipated that the tender process and execution of the contract will be completed within a period of six months.
Vadi also appealed to motorists using the R500 to exercise extreme caution when approaching the sinkhole area and to obey the road safety instructions as the recent heavy rainfalls could have a further negative impact on the road.
He said that his department was liaising with traffic officials to monitor the situation and to assist motorists along the route.
For more information, please contact:
Octavia Mamabolo
Tel: 011 355 7300
Cell: 082 316 8666
E-mail: Octavia.Mamabolo@gauteng.gov.za
