A Landscape of Neglect: Abandoned Trenches Pit Khutsong Against Danger

In the streets and open veld of Khutsong, a silent hazard is growing. Across the township, residents are pointing with increasing alarm at a series of deep, open trenches and sinkholes left unattended by municipal contractorsgaping wounds in the community’s landscape that pose a serious threat to public safety.

The concerns are widespread. In the area of the old Teachers’ Quarters, residents have lived for years alongside several large sinkholes on an open field. Rather than addressing these, they report that the Merafong City Local Municipality allowed a contractor to dig a massive new trench right beside them. The work has since stalled, leaving both the old sinkholes and the new excavation exposed.

“I see this every time I pass by and am very worried because it is going to lead to another sinkhole. This is not right,” said worried resident Lucky Mofube, capturing the frustration of a community forced to navigate a hazardous environment.

A Pattern of Abandoned Projects

The problem is not isolated. Near Tswasongu Secondary School in Skopas, a large cavity yawns open in the veld, reportedly dug by a municipal contractor and then left unfinished. This week, the scene was repeated across from Hlanganani Primary School, where large trenches cut across the area with no workers in sight.

The pattern suggests a systemic failure: contractors beginning infrastructure projectslikely for pipe laying or similar workonly to abandon the sites, leaving behind treacherous pits. With no fencing, signage, or security, these sites are accidents waiting to happen, especially for children walking to and from the nearby schools.

A Municipality Unresponsive

Attempts by the Herald to get an explanation from the Merafong City Local Municipality were met with silence. Marketing and communications manager Temba Fezani did not respond to inquiries, leaving residents’ questions about timelines, responsibility, and immediate safety measures unanswered.

For the people of Khutsong, these holes are more than an eyesore; they are a daily reminder of municipal neglect. They represent a failure in basic duty of care, turning communal spaces into zones of risk. As the community waits for a response that may never come, the trenches continue to erode not just the soil, but also any remaining trust in the local authority tasked with their protection.