A drain on drivers’ patience

Chantal Braid said, “The Johannesburg Roads Agency cannot blame the weather for this one as the manhole cover was broken and reported long before any of the severe weather conditions occurred. The concrete manhole cover over the storm water drainage system has been missing for about six weeks. It is only a matter of time before there is some fatal accident.”

She said 12th Avenue is very busy. “The missing manhole cover means that traffic in the right lane turning into Rietfontein holds up the traffic coming from behind in Rivonia Road as the traffic continuing straight towards Bryanston cannot move past on the left,” explained Braid.

She added that an attempt was made by the roads agency to replace the cover with another one.

“It did not fit and it was left protruding from the hole,” said Braid. “A small faded red traffic cone was left as a warning. The new cover has now also broken up and disappeared into the manhole.”

Bertha Peters-Scheepers, spokesperson for the roads agency said, “A team has confirmed that following the first complaint received, the manhole was covered with a temporary polymer lid. These lids are an interim measure whilst an alternative manhole product is being procured.”

She added that theft and vandalism of road infrastructure, including manhole covers is costing the City of Johannesburg millions and it negatively impacted the service delivery process.

“The roads agency will launch a community-based anti-vandalism project to get residents involved in curbing this deliberate sabotage of the city’s infrastructure,” said Peters-Scheepers.

“The team will replace the cover with another temporary polymer lid before the close of business today [10 March].”

However, on 11 March, Braid said the roads agency had not covered the storm water drain and that it was still open.

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