Henties residents fear more manhole deaths

Henties Bay residents say uncovered manholes and open excavations at a municipal septic tank project remain a danger, more than a month after a 78-year-old man died when he fell into a hole.

Kleophas Tourob died on 14 August. According to a police report, he was walking along Hardap Street when he fell into a manhole. His family took him to the Henties Bay Clinic, where a nurse declared him dead on arrival. Police opened an inquest, and investigations are continuing.

The family's adviser, Entenesia Tjiveze, said the hole has not been filled. Photographs supplied by the family show the excavation open, surrounded by orange mesh fencing.

"It's still open," she said.

A month later, on 14 August, Derick Strauss logged an emergency complaint through the Hentiesbaai Residents Association's online portal. It concerned uncovered manholes at the corner of Grootberg and Paresis roads in Omdel. The complaint was copied to the municipality's technical and corporate services departments, the council administration and management committee chairperson Danie Wehl.

"Nobody responded or gave feedback," Strauss said.

He said a sewage collection pit about 200 metres from the Hardap Street site has an open gate and eight chambers without lids.

"Full of sewage water. Children play nearby, and it is a very big danger," he said.

He said the sewage treatment plant, about 500 metres further, is in the same condition.

Strauss said on 16 September a child running from a dog nearly fell into the Hardap Street hole, and mesh fencing around it caught him.

"It is better, but still insufficient security," Strauss said.

Money, but not words

A site board where Tourob died identifies the project as the septic tank replacement tender in Omdel, Phase 2. It names the municipality as the client, Aloe Consulting Engineers as consulting engineers and Afrikem Investment CC as the main contractor.

Tjiveze said the municipality contributed N$20 000 towards the funeral, and the contractor and the consultant contributed N$10 000 each. She said the municipality undertook to bring the contractor and the consultant to meet the family, but neither attended.

"Even the contractors never came back to us. The consultant never came back to us," she said.

The family's spokesperson, Ceril Dausab, said the family is considering legal action against the municipality, but no claim has been filed.

A representative of Afrikem Investment CC confirmed on Monday that the company is the contractor on the project but declined to answer questions.

"I can't respond before they respond. They have that responsibility of responding," he said, referring to the municipality.

Aloe Consulting Engineers said on Monday it would refer the questions and respond. No response had been received by the time of publication.

Acting chief executive Ignasia Neis, mayor Titus Johannes and Wehl did not respond to questions sent last week. Neis said on Monday that she would call back, but had not done so by the time of publication.