Metro assures the community that manholes covers are replaced
Missing manhole covers may be reported at the Boksburg Customer Care Centre.
Missing manhole covers and steel drainage grates are normally replaced as and when they are reported.
This is according to metro spokesperson Themba Gadebe, reacting to Ward 32 councillor Marius de Vos’ complaints that stolen manhole covers are not replaced.
“Our depot personnel drive around the city checking for missing lids and they are replaced as soon as they are discovered,” said Gadebe.
The Advertiser has, however, discovered that it’s been weeks since manhole covers went missing at the corner of Hospital Road and Commissioner Street, corner Trichardts and Cason roads as well as the one that was located along Main Reef Road in the Angelo informal settlement.
The manhole covers were still not replaced at the time of going to press last week.
In view of the upward trend in theft of steel road infrastructure assets, the metro said it is no longer using steel and cast-iron manhole and steel grates.
Instead, it has for the past five years been using only polymer manholes and grates.
The metro revealed that, since the inception of the polymer manhole covers, an average of 10 manholes are reported missing on a monthly basis, which might amount to approximately R30 000 a month.
“It must be brought to the public’s attention that not all the manhole covers belong to the metro. Some belong to communication networks service providers and fibre cable network companies,” said Gadebe.
Walk-in complainants are also welcomed at the Roads and Stormwater Depot, and ward councillors can as well be contacted and they will cascade the complaints to the CCC or to the depot. -@MthuphaFanie
Ward councillor demands action to address manhole cover thefts
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