Johannesburg Roads Agency took the fight to the criminals after 52 manhole covers were discovered at a scrapyard in Fordsburg.
The agency’s spokesperson Bertha Peters-Scheepers attributed the bust to close co-operation between the roads agency, metro police, SA police, emergency management services, the department of environmental health and Telkom.
Representatives from the respective agencies teamed up to conduct inspections at random scrapyards across the city on 20 March.
A suspect was found operating a scrapyard without a permit – and in possession of manhole covers for which he could not produce a proof of purchase.Honeydew CPF Sector 2 chairperson Neville Burnett expressed satisfaction with the bust.
“We have two open manholes in our area that have been left open for the last month. The problem really needs to be addressed as these are areas that are used by pedestrians on a daily basis.”
“These crimes impede economic growth as a single manhole cover costs R1,100 to repair or replace,” the roads agency’s managing director Skhumbuzo Macozoma explained.
“Criminals who steal or vandalise city property also threaten the safety of road users, which in the extreme, may even result in fatalities.”
The entity has created an infrastructure protection unit to ensure a more effective response to vandalism and theft through closer institutional relationships with Metro police and other security organisations.
“We appeal to scrapyard owners not to purchase the road agency’s assets,” Peters-Scheepers said.
“When approached with these items, they are encouraged to report this to metro police or the closest police station.”
“Members of the community are also requested to engage in the City’s Active Citizenry initiative and report all acts of vandalism and theft.”
Anyone with information on activities of vandalism and theft is requested to contact the City of Johannesburg’s Call Centre.
