​Lerato Mailoane
Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi accompanied by Members of the Executive Council (MECs) on Tuesday evening 7 March 2023, visited Khutsong, Carletonville to give residents a progress report on the intervention's government has instituted in response to community concerns on the escalating sinkholes in the area. The sinkholes have left many families displaced, affected the water quality, and damaged infrastructure in the area.
Addressing residents, Premier Lesufi said: "We have declared Khutsong a national disaster area and we are waiting for national government to also declare it as such, meaning Gauteng and national government will avail a budget in order to get expertise in dealing with the challenges in the area
"Every day, we are inundated with emergency calls as houses are collapsing. We have now reached a stage where we must declare a state of disaster in this municipality. The Minister is preparing the necessary paperwork for the declaration," said Lesufi.
The Gauteng Provincial Government in the interim, is providing the following solutions:
• Establishing a permanent Emergency Disaster Site;
• Early detection of sinkholes;
• Provision of psychosocial support to effected families;
• Running a public campaign about dangers of sinkholes and
• Urging communities in dangerous areas to migrate within reasonable time to areas made available.
The Premier said they have also requested the national government to appoint a team of experts to assist with the rehabilitation of sinkholes as well as extend sites for those who want to rebuild on their own.
"We have to manage the issue of relocation in a manner that it won't disadvantage our communities." 
"We have spoken, it's enough and now is the time to act. We are coming to consult you on our plans. The Gauteng government must act and act with speed," he added.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, (COGTA) Head of Department, Darion Barclay said the department was aware of the state of roads, state of sinkholes and the problems of the sewerage systems in the area.
"This has severely damaged internal water supply pipes to Khutsong extensions and sewer pipe networks, which drain via outfall sewers to the Khutsong Wastewater Treatment Plant.
We have conducted a full assessment of all the sinkholes, in the Khutsong area and we have assessed the priority areas and we will be starting work in the area very soon. In areas that are very dangerous we need to relocate residents because work needs to continue uninterruptedly", said Barclay.
In the immediate, COGTA would establish an office on site so that all the necessary departments can work with the community to resolve problems.
Budget allocations have been made by all departments to address the challenges in the area. COGTA has also appointed social facilitators to engage with the community on the relocation process.
Pic credit: Mail and Guardian