In a major step towards safeguarding Johannesburg's road infrastructure and enhancing public safety, the City of Johannesburg will conduct an urgent oversight visit to areas severely affected by sinkholes linked to illegal mining activities in regions C and F.

The visit follows growing concern over the devastating impact of underground mining voids, which have resulted in dangerous road collapses, structural damage, and the closure of key transport and economic routes across the city. In some affected areas, underground cavities have reached depths of up to 22 metres, posing significant risks to motorists, surrounding communities, businesses and critical public infrastructure.

Leading the oversight visit will be the City's Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport, Cllr Kenny Kunene, together with the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) board and Chief Executive Officer Zweli Nyathi.
“Illegal mining continues to pose a serious threat to the safety and integrity of Johannesburg's road infrastructure. As the JRA, we are committed to understanding the full extent of the damage and ensuring that appropriate interventions are implemented to protect residents, road users and key economic routes. This oversight visit is an important step in strengthening collaboration and accelerating solutions to address these infrastructure risks," said Nyathi.

The JRA has already undertaken extensive geotechnical investigations and Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) assessments to better understand the underground conditions resulting from illegal mining. Preliminary findings have revealed the scale and complexity of the challenge facing the city, with rehabilitation and road reinstatement costs expected to run into millions of rand.

The oversight visit forms part of the City's broader commitment to building infrastructure resilience, strengthening public safety, and protecting communities from the long-term effects of illegal mining. It also aims to raise awareness about the increasing pressure illegal mining places on municipal infrastructure, mobility networks and service delivery.

Several critical sites across regions C and F will be inspected during the visit, including roads in Wilfordon, Roodepoort, Witpoortjie, Booysens, Turffontein and Selby.

 
Written by Sascha-Lee Joseph
19/05/2026
 
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