Broken pavements raise questions while creating danger to residents
Dangerous open manholes and broken bricks on Jan Smuts Avenue have left locals worried about pedestrian safety and the risk of scrap metal or cable thieves striking.
If you have been walking, or driving, along Jan Smuts Avenue this week, you might have noticed that the pavement has become a bit of a nightmare.
Someone has been ripping up manhole covers, leaving broken paving stones and bits of concrete scattered everywhere. One heavy lid was found propped on its side, and another was just dumped nearby, leaving a massive, dangerous hole in the ground. It is no wonder that locals are worried that cable thieves have started targeting the area.
Read more: Dangerous open manhole finally fixed in Fontainebleau
David Caseiro, who is the area manager for Beagle Watch, said he could not be one hundred percent sure if this specific mess was down to theft, but he has noticed a sharp rise in cable theft over the last year. “I am not sure about the theft, or damage of the manhole covers. Perhaps they get money for it if it is metal. However, since last year, there has been a serious spike in cable theft.”
Caseiro also noted that the people responsible seem to know exactly what they are doing. “These criminals steal the cables strangely. All have access to that special tool to open the manholes.”
He is quite curious about where they are getting their equipment from. “I don’t want to speculate, but I am sure they might have someone on the inside who helps them to get the tools, unless they are stealing them.”
Also read: Bordeaux Drives leaking manhole problem remains unresolved
Stand-in councillor for Ward 102 Bea Campbell-Cloete explained that anything made of metal is a target. “Anything that is metal can be sold for scrap. Unfortunately, we do have some scrap metal buyers that will buy these without asking questions.” She added, however, that this was the first time she had seen such an incident in this particular ward.
Even though we’re not sure this damage is linked to cable theft, people are frightened that it could be the start of a bad trend. In other parts of Randburg, missing cables and broken equipment have led to power cuts, traffic jams, and safety hazards. Even if it’s not, an open manhole is a danger to anyone walking past, especially when it is dark, like during load shedding when the streetlights are out.
Either way, everyone should keep a sharp eye out and report anything suspicious around these manholes to the police or the council.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!
