Mogale City Local Municipality is playing the blame game again after it emerged that a manhole cover in Commissioner Street in the Central Business District mysteriously disappeared.
Brenda Redelinghuys, human resources and financial manager at John Ratcliffe CC says they receive lots of complaints, especially from customers as the manhole is right in front of their business.
“The cover disappeared about four weeks ago. We contacted Mogale City Local Municipality to inform them about it, but they said that it belonged to Telkom.”
Jakkie Naudé, councillor for this ward also reported the matter to the municipality and he was told the same story. He provided the NEWS with his email correspondence with Telkom, confirming that the manhole does not belong to them either.
Redelinghuys says initially a barrier was placed to cover it, but this has been removed.
It has become a dumping ground for rubbish and is an eyesore in the community.”We even phoned a company in Cape Town that specialises in producing these covers to see if we could replace it ourselves, but it costs R2 000,” says Redelinghuys.
She says that she was told that the specifications of the manhole are not those of Telkom.
“We really want the municipality to take responsibility and replace the manhole cover as it poses a danger to pedestrians and motorists as it is right next to the road. We urge them to come up with solutions before something terrible happens,” says Redelinghuys.
She says as far as her knowledge goes this is the second time in about five years that the manhole cover was stolen.
“Luckily no one has been injured as yet.”
