Manhole still not covered, despite assurances
Residents have complained about the difficulty and danger for children, who have to walk past the manhole on their way to school.
The manhole, which a five-year-old boy fell into, has still not been covered.
This follows an article published in the EXPRESS last month, detailing how the boy had to be pulled out, while on his way to school.
The open manhole is situated at the corner of Highgate and Jules streets in Jeppestown.
The hole, about 60 centimetres deep, has residents complaining, especially with the persistent rainfall experienced in the last two weeks.
The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) said they sent their inspectors to the site at the time, but six weeks later no visible change was evident when the EXPRESS was there.
Residents have complained about the difficulty and danger for children, who have to walk past the manhole on their way to school.
One of the residents described the open manhole as an accident waiting to happen.
“When it rains, it gets worse. The water even flows onto the street. The manhole gets filled with water and it becomes almost impossible to see the hole. Children are curious and might find the hole fascinating,” said Mr Lungelo Ngidi, a resident of Jules Street.
In the article published in the EXPRESS last month, Mrs Bertha Peters Scheepers, who is the operations manager for communications at the JRA, explained that there are tyres inside the manhole, therefore nobody can fall inside.
“Fortunately, the child would have not drowned as there is a valve inside this hole,” she said at the time.
She had also said that the safety of children is of utmost importance.
A request for comment was sent to the JRA. At the time of going to print, no comment had been received.
