A local high school pupil severely injured his leg when he fell into an open manhole on his way to school.
The Spartan High School learner is considering suing the metro for the injuries he sustained.
This is one of many similar stories throughout the metro of people injuring themselves due to exposed manholes, DA ward councillor, Tracey Butler, said.
“The Democratic Alliance wants council to get tough on the people who steal manhole covers, posing enormous dangers and expense to residents across Ekurhuleni. The DA is calling for a full audit from the metro’s roads and transport department on missing manhole covers and an explanation about why so little action has been taken by to curb their theft,” Butler said.
“Like so many crimes of this nature, the increase in manhole cover theft is partially due to the poor economic climate. The metal covers are stolen and sold as scrap. However, the primary reason for the dire situation is due to the lack of will by the metro to effectively apprehend offenders.
“Replacement of these covers is expensive and can be an arduous task. As soon as they are replaced, opportunistic thieves who know there are no repercussions, steal them again, leaving gaping holes in the roads and pavements of the metro,” she said.
“The DA will insist that, along with an audit of missing manhole covers, a task team be established to drive the arrests and prosecutions of people who are guilty of stealing them. If prosecutions and convictions start happening on a significant scale, perpetrators will think twice before stealing council property and endangering the lives of residents.”
Manhole cover theft: Let’s ‘expose’ all the open holes
