This after it was discovered during an oversight visit that a low-cost housing project continued in the Ottoshoop area, in Mahikeng Local Municipality, despite the alleged danger of sinkholes on dolomite land.

A member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL), Jacqueline Theologo, tells OFM News that this came to light earlier during a visit that the Department of Local Government has no dolomite risk management programme in place.

Theologo says this imminent threat is worsened by the recent drought that caused a drop in the underground water tables and increased the risk of sinkholes.

She further says sinkholes in areas of dolomite land at Ottoshoop, Tsetse, Khuma, and Boikhutso could further be triggered by leaking water pipes, substandard infrastructure, and poorly managed surface water drainage.

It is a well-known fact that the water tables are very low in Ottoshoop and we will be assessing the water quality, how far the water table has actually fallen and how this will affect the area of dolomite land and the houses built on them. We also implore on the department to provide the North-West with the risk assessment in this regard,” says Theologo.

The department is yet to comment.

Theologo says it is a well-known fact that the corrosion of steel and asbestos pipes is the main cause of water leakages and in order to address this challenge, the pipes need to be upgraded from asbestos to Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), which would cost the department around R2 billion.

She further says it was revealed that the Provincial Government has no record-keeping system in place to document the number of sinkholes or dolomite-related disasters.

She adds that with approximately 25% of the province being underlain by dolomite, it is inexcusable that the department has no strategy to manage the possible risks of sinkhole disasters that could ensue in and around affected areas.

OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane