“This Road Must Be Closed”: Massive Sinkholes Mid-Road in Carletonville Spark Safety Concern
- Twitter user @Zikamnyamane shared a video of dangerous sinkholes swallowing a road in Wedela, Carletonville, Gauteng
- A white BMW was filmed carefully navigating the hazardous road, which has a makeshift metal sheet crossing over one of the gaping holes
- South Africans online raised concerns about what is causing the sinkholes, with some pointing to illegal mining activity in the area
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Source: Twitter
A video of an alleged road in Wedela, Carletonville, has left South Africans deeply unsettled. X user @Zikamnyamane posted the clip on 13 August 2026, captioning it simply as “potholes in Wedela, Carletonville.” But what the video actually shows is far more alarming than a few potholes.
The footage captures a white BMW with a Gauteng number plate carefully manoeuvring around what appear to be large sinkholes in the middle of the road. A makeshift crossing made from corrugated metal sheets has been laid over one of the openings, suggesting the damage has been there long enough for a workaround to be put in place. The holes are far too wide and deep for any vehicle to simply drive over.
Wedela is a small residential township in the Merafong City Local Municipality on Gauteng’s West Rand, a region historically associated with deep-level gold mining.
What is causing the sinkholes?
@Zikamnyamane's video drew widespread concern, with many viewers weighing in on what could be behind the deteriorating road. Some pointed to illegal mining, also known as zama zama activity, as the likely cause. Others referenced the area’s geological makeup, specifically dolomite rock, which is known to cause ground subsidence when disturbed or when water erodes the rock beneath the surface.
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Briefly News could not independently verify the claims made in the comments at the time of publication.
Watch the video that shocked Mzansi below:
Mzansi reacts to the video
South Africans had strong feelings about what they saw:
@Bokao warned:
“Those are not potholes. Those are sinkholes caused by dolomite rock. The road should be closed as that could completely sink in, especially with the weight of cars passing.”
@RamahlweJam added context:
“This is Zama Zama work. Remember there is an operational mine here. I drove into this road a few months ago for our recon work. Mind you, there is a police station next to these holes, but those guys are powerless.”
@BenMzob expressed frustration:
“Illegal miners are going to finish this country.”
@ProTwoolz reacted with disbelief:
“U call these potholes?🤦😂”
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Source: Briefly News
