Metro substitutes metal thieves’ favourite item
Plastic manhole covers to replace metal ones.
The risk of children in Ekurhuleni falling into manholes is quickly becoming a thing of the past, as the metro rolls out branded orange plastic manhole covers, replacing the theft-prone metal ones.
The replacement of old cast-iron covers is one of the municipality’s efforts to curb vandalism and theft of manhole covers.
“The new plastic covers do not have the monetary value that the metal thieves are looking for and we believe it is a groundbreaking intervention to put an end to this malicious crime.
“Of great value to the residents is the reduction of the risk of falling into the manholes,” said the metro’s spokesman, Themba Gadebe.
The new manhole covers, Gadebe added, 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 municipality-owned property that has been 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.
The metro encourages residents to continue reporting missing manhole covers and any suspicious or illegal activity to the call centre, on 0860 543 000.
