FOLLOW-UP: City to replace missing and damaged covers after toddler falls into open manhole
“The city learns about the manhole covers as and when they are brought to its attention.”
The CoE will do a site inspection and replace the missing and damaged manhole covers in the Benoni CBD.
This comes after four-year-old Brayden Madzvimbo fell into an open manhole in the CBD on April 16.
The city confirmed it was not made aware of the toddler falling into a manhole concealed by overgrown grass on the corner of Tom Jones Street and Bedford Avenue.
Municipal spokesperson Zweli Dlamini blamed the matter on the theft of the manhole cover, adding that it was never reported to them.
“The manhole cover might have been stolen and it was never reported to the city, so we did not know about it,” he said.
Brayden was waiting at the intersection with his father, Rodwell, and elder brother for the traffic light to turn green before he fell inside the hole after moving forward to get his mother, Linnet Kwenda’s attention, who had crossed the road first.
Dlamini insisted theft was to blame when asked if the child would have seen the open manhole had the grass been cut.
“The city learns about the manhole covers as and when they are brought to its attention. If the cover was stolen, there is little we can do. The main problem is theft rather than the grass.”
The spokesperson said they constantly replace the missing and damaged covers across Benoni and advised the community to report these to the city.
“The department is constantly replacing missing and damaged manhole covers across Benoni Service Delivery Area (SDA) as and when required. However, we further implore the community to report these on 0860 543 000 or the My COE App so we get to know about them timeously and fix them.
“The department will do a site inspection and install the missing manhole covers.”
Also Read: Mother traumatised after child falls into manhole
Also Read: City has no resources to fix manhole
