MMC visits site where plumbers died in municipal manhole
Thembi Msane expressed her sympathy to the families of the three men.
The City of Ekurhuleni MMC for Water and Sanitation, Thembi Msane, today (October 30) visited the site in Benoni south where the bodies of three plumbers were recovered from a manhole yesterday afternoon.
The men died after entering a municipal main sewer line on the corner of Bradford Street and Liverpool Road at about 20:30 on October 28.
Msane was on site for a briefing by Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services media liaison William Ntladi.
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Three wooden crosses have been erected on the manhole cover in remembrance of the victims.
Msane expressed her sympathy to the families of the three men but issued a warning that no person may tamper, access or conduct any work on municipal infrastructure.
“This tragic loss of lives could have been prevented. An investigation into this incident is underway to establish the exact circumstances that led to three individuals losing their lives.
“We implore businesses and residents to report all municipal-related complaints, such as blocked sewers, via the CoE app or call centre.”
Acting HOD for the Department of Water and Sanitation, Ortega Sithole, said that the city is mandated to resolve all reported complaints within 48 hours.
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He further committed that the road surface which was damaged during the extensive recovery operation will be repaired and the manhole cover secured by the end of the week.
The bodies were recovered on October 29 shortly after 14:30, following a lengthy rescue operation that began that morning.
It is reported the men were there to unblock a sewer line when unknown circumstances led to their entrapment.
CCTV footage viewed by members of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services, Benoni K9, and Gauteng Search and Rescue Units reveals that one of the employees entered the manhole, followed by two others. None of them re-emerged.
