Ekurhuleni finds solution to stop manhole cover theft
Ekurhuleni is in the process of replacing steel manhole covers with less valuable, plastic ones.
“The new plastic covers do not have the monetary value that the metal thieves are looking for and we believe it is a ground-breaking intervention to put an end to this malicious crime,” said Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe.
“Of great value to the residents is the reduction of the risk of falling into the manholes.”
The new manhole covers, Gadebe said, will also go a long way in decreasing the number of overflowing sewers, which are mainly caused by foreign objects being dumped into open manholes.
Furthermore, a task team has been set up to visit scrap-yards across Ekurhuleni, in search of any cast iron manhole covers and other municipal-owned property traded for money.
In cases where scrap-yards are found in possession of council-owned items, a charge of theft will be laid against the owners of the company.
The municipality must be able to prove that the items are council property.
Ekurhuleni encourages residents to continue reporting missing manhole covers and any suspicious or illegal activity to the call centre, on 0860 543 000.
