Venterspost Town and Village, South Africa: A Sinkhole Farm or Developable Land?

As a result of dewatering in the Venterspost Groundwater Compartment, Far West Rand, South Africa, numerous catastrophic sinkholes occurred in the surrounding area of Venterspost Town. Due to this large occurrence of events, this particular area, where the access road to Venterspost crosses the Wonderfontein Stream, became known as the `sinkhole farm". Despite this dramatic history barely 30 years ago, the demand for developable land has required that development in Venterspost Town, with its excellent but abandoned infrastructure, be reconsidered. In the late 1990's the South African Council for Geoscience (CGS) classified the Town into zones of development suitability based on their risk according to the affects of dewatering. While stands considered safe for development may be reused and the poorer areas left abandoned, a dilemma exists for the road joining the Town and Westonaria however. The mining groups which were the responsible parties for the dewatering of the area are concerned that continued use, and even increased use due to the arrival of new residents, of the access road could place the public at risk. Westonaria on the other hand, as the local municipal authority, desperately need this road to be able to service Venterspost Town which is part of its municipal area.