Vandalism and theft costs City R12 million to replace sewer drain covers
11 September 2024
Vandalism and theft have resulted in the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate spending over R12 million to replace and repair 6 590 stolen and vandalised sewer drain manhole covers across Cape Town between July 2023 and June 2024. This vital infrastructure needs to be in place to ensure the safety of the public and to safeguard sewer network operations.
The City continues to replace sewer drain manhole covers that pose a risk to public safety and become the gateway for foreign objects to enter the sewer system, damaging pipes and leading to blockages.
Many covers are reported stolen or damaged due to vandalism, with a costly replacement value, much of which can be mitigated through public awareness and behavioural change.
During winter, missing drain covers add pressure on operations and increase call-outs. Excess rain floods the sewer network, which increases the probability and frequency of overflows.
'It's important for the public to be aware that replacing vandalised or stolen manhole covers puts a strain on the City's financial resources, and causes delays in rendering services as maintenance demands amplify. Each act of criminality diverts valuable time and funding away from daily essential services,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
Several factors affect the total cost per job, taking into account whether it requires just replacing a cover or completely reconstructing the manhole frame.
'Replacing manhole covers is essential to ensuring public safety for vehicles, pedestrians and infrastructure integrity. It also improves the reliability of our sewer systems, reducing unwanted experiences of sewer overflows on streets, resulting from blocked drains caused by illegal dumping through open manholes.
'While the immediate focus is to ensure that all manholes are secured, the City maintains its surveillance over sewer infrastructure. We urge residents to keep reporting and act proactively, working together with the City to eliminate this challenge,' said Councillor Zahid Badroodien.About sewer drain manhole covers: - They are usually round and located in the middle of a road, and sometimes on properties.
- They are a crucial part of the Water and Sanitation Directorate's infrastructure that helps to control the flow of sewage through the sewer pipes, and reduces incidents of overflows into the streets.
- The public must not remove these covers.
- Only staff authorised by the City can open these drains for work purposes such as clearing blockages in the pipes.
- Report missing or broken covers to one of the City's channels so they can be replaced:
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If you observe individuals tampering with manhole covers or dumping foreign objects into the sewer system, report it on 0860 103 089. Your vigilance can help prevent further damage and protect our community's infrastructure.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
