Gautrain sinkhole 'a wake-up call'

2008-07-10 09:47

Cobus Claassen

Pretoria - "This is a wake-up call that potential dangers should not be ignored, especially not in Centurion."

This is how Pine Pienaar, chairperson of the resident's association weCARE, reacted on Wednesday to the sinkhole, which appeared in Rosebank, Johannesburg, due to construction on the tunnel for the Gautrain.

The pressure group is opposing the planned overhead Gautrain railway line in Centurion, which in some parts will be as high as 25m above ground.

Pienaar said there was concern about the overhead railway line, which would run "right across" Centurion's dolomite strip. "There is no proof yet of the long-term impact of the drilling and construction on this area. There is a big dolomite danger: it is not a case of whether sinkholes will appear, but rather when and where."

Homework

Pienaar said residents were not convinced that the Bombela Consortium had done its homework, "especially seeing that it is trying to save money as much as possible".

Blasting operations started in November at the John Vorster interchange.

The controlled blasts are being done to remove rocks and are mostly done after peak hours.

The Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment gave permission that parts of the railway line, which would mostly be built at ground level in covered trenches in Centurion, could be constructed on arched bridges.

The weCARE group claims in court documents handed in at the Johannesburg High Court, that the railway line would permanently spoil the landscape in Centurion. Pienaar said it was unclear when the case would continue.

- Beeld