Shocking crater under Joburg highway bridge is just the tip of the illegal mining iceberg

Illegal excavators have created large craters under bridges such as this one beneath the M2 highway, posting a significant danger to motorists.

The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has expressed concern over the shocking illegal excavation taking place beneath a bridge on the M2 highway in the Johannesburg CBD.

Footage released by the JRA on Monday night shows illegal miners have hollowed out large sections of ground and paving beneath the bridge, compromising the safety of thousands of motorists who use this road daily.

The JRA said this damage directly threatens the bridge’s support structures.

“We must act now to protect our city's infrastructure from further destruction,” the agency said in a post on X.