Cape Town - A City refuse truck fell into a sinkhole in the middle of the road at an intersection off Depsiton Crescent that branches into Mirbey and Eltister roads in Lavender Hill.
People heard a loud bang yesterday morning as they waited for the bin collection service close to Muir Hof Court and De Waal Court. A crack in the road that they noticed over the weekend had swallowed the four back wheels of the heavy vehicle.
According to a resident who was one of the first people at the scene, the incident happened at around 9am. A City employee riding at the back of the truck got trapped but they managed to rescue her before services arrived.
“Immediately, when I heard a loud noise, I went outside to investigate. Over the weekend the hole was not that big but we anticipated a possible danger because kids were playing there and we noticed that we could see right through the road.”
Another resident, who has lived in Lavender Hill for the past 50 years, said it was high time the City rebuilt the concrete road as it had been used for more than 40 years.
Lavender Hill councillor Shanen Rossouw said she attended the scene when community members reported seeing the hole last Friday.
“That road is a concrete road and I never realised it was so thin until this incident. We are lucky that it’s not a main road, so motorists won’t be affected.
“I am planning to have a meeting with the community members soon and possibly source out members who will be helping to cover the ditch while I hold meetings with the authorities to establish when they are going to start with repairs.”
City Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said the service received a call at approximately 9.05am yesterday of a truck stuck in a hole in Lavender Hill.
“We dispatched a technical rescue vehicle with a crane and a crew from Wynberg to have the truck removed from the roadway. An adult female sustained minor injuries and was transported to hospital.”
Mayco member for urban waste management Grant Twigg said contingency measures were being put in place to ensure minimal delays to refuse collection in the area. Counselling is also available for staff.