65-year-old Thabong woman falls into manhole

A desperate search continues for a 65-year-old woman who fell into an open sewage manhole near Lehakwe Primary School in Thabong area.

Following a news tip-off shared with Kasi Voice News, it is alleged that yesterday, eyewitnesses saw an elderly woman slipping down in an open manhole.

It is believed the manhole cover had been stolen.

Matjhabeng municipality’s fire brigade unit responsible for disaster management and the police’s SAPS divers unit were summoned to the scene yesterday.

Police spokesperson in Lejweleputswa region, captain Stephen Thakeng revealed that the police are on the ground and continuing with the search.

According to the eyewitnesses, it is alleged that the woman was on verge of throwing herself into the railway, before she threw herself into the manhole.

However, no confirmed reports has emerged if the elderly woman was attempting to commit suicide.

Her younger sister who prefers to be anonymous at this stage, told the people’s Ultimate voice of community that, her older sister had alleged that she was going to see one of their church members, and she was then concerned with her older sister not returning home afterwards since she left in the early hours of the morning.

And when she tempted to make a call, the elderly woman’s phone was answered by the police officers who notified her that the 65-year-old woman suspected to be her older sister fell to the manhole.

Meanwhile, Kasi Voice News further reached out to Matjhabeng municipality spokesperson Kgojane Matutle who stressed that uncovered manholes are a bedrock issue for the municipality.

“We’ve been fighting a losing battle against vandalism and municipal infrastructure theft,” says Matutle indicating that during last year’s financial year they had over 1 330 cases of infrastructural theft, that includes several stolen manhole castings.

“We have pleaded with communities to liaise with us by reporting these instances of illegal activities,” he said.

Matutle says uncovered manholes are being replaced with castings made of cements to prevent the occurring theft of metal base covers.