The City of Cape Town says it is still investigating the cause of the formation of a sinkhole in Beach Road, Strand, and every effort is being made to complete the repair process as soon as possible.
The sinkhole, close to the Strand municipal swimming pool, was a hot topic of discussion on social media (“Sinkhole in Strand causes concern”, September 4).
Strand resident, Sean Evert, who lives nearby, said the sinkhole had started out much smaller. He complained about the inconvenience caused by the diversion of traffic from Beach Road.
The City’s Mayoral committee member for economic growth, Zahid Badroodien, said the matter was reported to the City on Thursday August 22, and an extensive investigation is ongoing to identify the cause of the hole so that the necessary repairs can be done.
“This is taking some time due to the location of this incident as there are different underground services that need to be considered and the inclement weather also delayed this process,” he said.
In previous communication, Ward 83 councillor Carl Punt also pointed out that the sinkhole’s location required a more intensive assessment before a process to repair it could be established.
Mr Badroodien said a team from the City’s Water and Sanitation department has in the meantime prepared the site for excavation, and pumped out the water that had accumulated to the nearby sewer pump station.
“This is so that the relevant City teams can assess and determine the cause and make arrangements to do the necessary repairs. The trench excavation on the road has been backfilled with clean sand,” he said.
The section of the road where the sinkhole is located remains cordoned off and traffic continues to be diverted away from this section in Beach Road.
Mr Badroodien asked motorists to avoid the area and use alternative routes in terms of safety and reminded residents in the vicinity to stay clear from the construction site.
“We appreciate the public’s patience during this time. Every effort is being made to identify the cause, complete the repairs and reinstate the affected section of the road in the shortest possible time. We regret any inconvenience caused.”
