Sewer manhole swallows woman, donkeys

The manhole has not been covered for years amid reports that residents were stealing its covers.

A BULAWAYO woman has been hospitalised after falling into an open sewer manhole in Old Magwegwe.

The woman fell into the sewer manhole, believed to be nearly two metres deep, after two donkeys met the same fate the previous day.

The Bulawayo fire brigade was called in to rescue the donkeys.

The manhole has not been covered for years amid reports that residents were stealing its covers.

Speaking to NewsDay, Old Magwegwe residents implored people to stop vandalising council infrastructure as it exposes them to serious dangers.

“At the end of the day, it is the community that suffers, not council. The custodians of these things turn around and steal the sewage breather lids for sale as scrap metal forgetting that we are exposing ourselves to serious danger,” said a resident Thulani Nyoni.

Bulawayo acting chief fire officer Linos Phiri confirmed the incidents, saying residents should be on the lookout for open manholes to avoid similar accidents.

“They must report them (open manholes) urgently to the engineering department so that they are covered. Also people should be on the lookout for these, especially at night,” he said.

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