SA’s busiest air force base, a national key point used by President Cyril Ramaphosa and government ministers, has a sinkhole problem.
Parliament’s portfolio committee on public works and infrastructure said on Wednesday that “several buildings” on the 640-hectare Waterkloof Air Force Base, south of Pretoria, “have been demolished as a result of ground movement brought on by water ingress from wet services”.
The base, the scene of the infamous Gupta wedding guests' landing, has a high-risk classification due to dolomitic soil conditions. Steps are now being taken to ensure sinkholes do not impact the functionality, effectiveness and safety of the base.
Committee chairperson Nolitha Ntobongwana said: “We can’t have a national key point used by the president and ministers declared as a high-risk area because of the development of sinkholes.”