The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) is introducing alternative non-metal manhole covers and drainage grates as part of its enormous fight to save the City of Johannesburg (CoJ)’s road assets from rampant theft and vandalism.
JRA Acting Managing Director Mpho Kau said: “As an entity entrusted with the road assets of the City of Johannesburg, the JRA is implementing an initiative to replace all cast iron and steel manhole covers and drainage grates with alternative materials such as ductile iron, plastic, fibre glass and polymer.
“The new materials will weigh considerably less (approximately three quarters) than the existing covers which can weigh in excess of 140kg, are more robust, carry the JRA branded logo, have no significant resale value and comply with JRA and SABS standard specifications.”
The JRA piloted the alternative manhole covers in selected areas city-wide and the results proved positive.
“The specification has been approved and we are now procuring the alternative products,” he said.
Due to the market value of the metals in manhole covers and drainage grates, they have become the targets of thieves and vandals.
“The City and the JRA is experiencing huge financial losses due to theft of its steel roads infrastructure assets namely; manhole covers and frames, kerb inlet covers, water meter covers, sewer manhole covers, channel posts and guard rails, traffic poles, bridge hand railings and so forth.”
Kau said that over the past 12 months, 3 200 missing manhole covers were reported to the JRA and stolen manhole covers cost the JRA a substantial amount of money amounting to R2.9 million.
