I Found a Cave

An opening may be a natural cave, a dolomite sinkhole, an old mine working, an animal burrow, a drain or an eroded cavity. It cannot be identified safely from the entrance alone. SASA can help route a report to experienced cavers while respecting the landowner and the sensitivity of the site.

What to do now

1. Keep out. Do not climb in, lower a child or pet, throw objects, light a fire or test the depth with a vehicle or heavy equipment.
2. Create a generous exclusion area. Edges can be undercut and the visible opening may be smaller than the void below. Use a barrier well back from the lip.
3. Observe from firm ground. Note when it appeared, recent rain or construction, approximate dimensions, sounds, airflow, water and any change over time.
4. Take context photographs. From a safe position, photograph the opening and its surroundings. Include a distant scale object; never stand a person at the edge for scale.
5. Report it privately. Send the property area, safe access details, observations and photos to SASA. Share exact coordinates only in a private exchange with an appropriate assessor.

What not to publish

Please do not post precise coordinates, access directions or invitations on social media. Publicity can attract trespass, vandalism and unprepared visitors, disturb bats or archaeological deposits, and damage landowner relationships. A scientifically important site may also require specialist protection.

Useful information for SASA

• Your name and a reliable way to contact you
• Whether you are the owner, occupier, worker or visitor
• Province and general locality—not public coordinates
• When the opening was first noticed and whether it is changing
• Approximate width and shape observed from a safe distance
• Recent heavy rain, excavation, blasting, leaking pipes or ground movement
• Any water, airflow, odour, animal activity, fossils, artefacts or human remains visible without entering
• Whether buildings, roads, services, livestock or people are at risk

Email a private report to SASA

If fossils, artefacts or human remains are visible

Do not touch, clean, move or collect anything. Protect the area and obtain specialist advice. Archaeological and palaeontological material may be protected under South African heritage law; human remains must be reported through the appropriate authorities. SASA can help identify the correct professional contact, but does not authorise excavation or collection.

If bats are present

Do not enter, shine prolonged lights, make loud noise, handle bats or block the entrance. Colonies can be especially vulnerable during maternity or roosting periods. Keep pets and visitors away and seek advice before any gate, construction or vegetation clearance is attempted.

If it may be a sinkhole

Dolomitic ground can develop subsidence and sinkholes where soil migrates into cavities, often influenced by water ingress or changing groundwater conditions. A new depression, cracking, sagging ground or sudden opening near infrastructure needs assessment by the responsible authority and an appropriately qualified engineering geologist or geotechnical professional. Cavers may help identify underground features, but they do not replace a formal ground-stability investigation.

What happens after a report?

SASA or a regional club may ask follow-up questions, review photographs and discuss access with the landowner. If a visit is appropriate, permissions, safety, confidentiality and who may enter should be agreed first. Documentation may include careful photography, surveying and observations, but no destructive work, publication or continued access should be assumed without permission.