Roads closed due to partial collapse of dam wall at Benoni Lake

The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department has closed Bunyan and Tom Jones roads in Benoni, as well as the nearby N12 on- and off-ramps, following the appearance of cracks in a dam wall.

Ekurhuleni Executive mayor Mzwandile Masina visited Lakeside on Thursday to inspect the work under way to repair the damage.

Water is currently being pumped from the Middle Lake, "to reduce the water levels to a satisfactory level where engineers can start assessing the severity of the damaged walls and the structural integrity of the entire wall," the city said in a statement on Thursday.

In an earlier statement on Wednesday, the city said that the roads were closed to allow for the pumping, so that personnel on site could "commence with the rehabilitation of the damaged concrete slabs, once the water level is reduced."

"This is to prevent the dam spillway from collapsing." 

The road closure follows an alert from residents on social media during Christmas.