Hollow 'scumbag' behind manhole cover theft

Reports of petty crime incidents in the Laudium area, seem to be multiplying, with thieves, believed to be mostly nyaope addicts, stealing anything they can get their hands on, from dustbins to light fittings to taps and now, even manhole covers. The irony is that the thieves sell their loot for a few mere Rands, whilst the damage and inconvenience caused is much greater, to a point where even lives are endangered.
In a recent incident, a local resident was surprised to find that the council manhole cover of a drain system near his home, was missing, during this past long weekend. Afzal Alimia of Agra Street West, told the Laudium Sun, “On Saturday, I went to town at around 10am and when I got back at around 3pm, I was shocked to see that the main drain cover in front of my house, was missing. It had me worried, as the hole was deep and children often play outside in the area. Even at night, it posed a danger, as anyone visiting or walking past, could easily have fallen into the hole. This kind of criminal activity goes beyond all levels. It can only be a low ‘scumbag’ who could have stolen the cover, which was made out of steel. My guess is, whoever did it, sold the cover as scrap metal and got a few rand for it, not considering the harm the theft could cause, even the loss of life. Such criminality not only affects us, but the council and ultimately all ratepayers too, as it costs money to replace these covers, which I am certain are being stolen all over the area. There have been many reports about people, especially children, being injured by falling into uncovered holes and also motorists sustaining damage to their vehicles and tyres. I was also worried about the safety of my family and my car, as the manhole is right in front of my property. Because of the market value of the metals, these steel covers have become the target of greedy thieves. I am almost certain that the nyaope guys roaming our streets, are behind the thefts of these covers. They steal anything they can get their hands on. Look at the palisade fencing opposite our area that is being stripped daily, piece by piece. Laudium is fast deteriorating and something must be done quickly to stop the place from decaying completely. I phoned the Councillor on Saturday.”
Councillor Mahomed Essop, said, “The cover of the manhole that was stolen, was reported to me on Saturday, but because of the long weekend, the council workers could only replace it yesterday (Tuesday 6th). It is unfortunate that thieves are targeting even manhole covers, which can cause more problems, such as injury and even loss of life. These covers are also very expensive to replace. The city is experiencing huge financial losses due to the theft of its steel infrastructure assets on the roads, such as manhole covers and frames, water meter covers, channel posts, guard rails and even traffic poles.”

The cover of this manhole outside Afzal Alimia’s house on Agra Str West, Laudium, was stolen over the Easter long weekend, leaving a huge, gaping hole.