The Freedom Front Plus has intensified its campaign to petition the City of Tshwane to declare Region 4 a disaster area due to the severe sinkhole problem, following a recent sinkhole development in Centurion. 

The party has collected 3,500 physical signatures by visiting schools and engaging with the community, and has also launched an online campaign to gather more signatures.

FF Plus PR councillor Wesley Jacobs emphasised that the petition process is transparent, as no ID information is being collected.

“I submitted all the information to the council,” he said. 

He cautioned that other political parties are now copying their approach, starting petitions on th same issue, but alleged that these parties are exploiting the issue for political gain by collecting ID information.

According to him, there are currently 64 sinkholes in Centurion, highlighting the urgent need for rehabilitation and infrastructure maintenance. 

A recent sinkhole in Jade Avenue, Lyttelton, emerged when tree roots pierced an asbestos water pipe, resulting in an underground water leak. 

Jacobs explained that the primary causes of the sinkholes in Centurion are water and sewage leaks on dolomitic soil.

The FF Plus is demanding urgent action from the City of Tshwane, calling for the declaration of Region 4 as a disaster area to access necessary funds for rehabilitation and infrastructure replacement. 

“Decisive action should be taken immediately to prevent the loss of lives,” Jacobs said.

This demand comes after Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Jacob Mamabolo recently suggested that implementing technology to detect potential leakages could be a more effective solution to the sinkhole problems plaguing Tshwane and Merafong City. 

Mamabolo urged the two municipalities to work together to tackle the sinkhole problem and provide documentation to support their bids for national funding.

A roundtable discussion on sinkholes is planned for the end of July, bringing together experts and stakeholders to find long-term solutions. 

Meanwhile, Tshwane has budgeted R14.7 million to address the sinkhole crisis, but it’s woefully inadequate, as estimates suggest R180 million is needed to fix over 60 sinkholes.

Jacobs said: “The Freedom Front Plus will keep pressuring the Metro to declare it a disaster area so the necessary funds can be obtained from the national and/or provincial disaster funds, as the Metro lacks the resources to replace outdated infrastructure and rehabilitate sinkholes.”

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za

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