The section of the N14 main route that has been closed for four years as a result of a sinkhole is being repaired at last.

This problem section, which is situated between Carletonville and Magaliesburg, was closed for traffic in April 2008 after a large sinkhole fell into the road. Although the North West Provincial Government, under whose control the Merafong municipal area was at the time, was supposed to repair the road and, as far as could be determined, received money for this purpose, this work had not been done by the time that the municipal area was moved back to Gauteng in 2010.

Although a fight between Gauteng and North West, over which provincial authority was responsible for the road, further delayed the repair of the road, the Gauteng roads department indicated last year that they would repair the road.

According to an engineer from this department, Mr Lloyd Fochete, the contractor tasked to do the work already arrived at the site in January.

More than 30 holes have already been drilled on intervals on this road to determine where possible underground cavities may be.

Once these have been identified, geotechnical engineers will advise the contractor on how best to fill the cavities and design the new road surface to ensure that it stays safe.

"We will physically be fixing all of the holes and will rebuild the whole road," Fochete told the Herald this week.

According to Fochete, a period of 18 months has been scheduled for the completion of the contract.

The road will remain closed during this time.

Another employee of the Gauteng roads department, Mr Dikkie Beukes, mentioned to the newspaper that there is a possibility that a new type of sponge concrete will be used to fill the sinkholes and cavities. This project will be the first time that this material will be used in South Africa.

The officials mentioned that the alternative road to Ventersdorp, which has also been damaged by a sinkhole, will be repaired too.