VERIPUAMI KANGUMINE
The City of Windhoek is facing a more than N$1 million bill to replace about 180 manhole covers stolen or reported missing this year.
The City normally spends about N$500 000 a year replacing stolen or missing manhole covers, but the number targeted by thieves has increased, with cases reported in Katutura, Eros, Havana, Otjomuise and Hochland Park.
City of Windhoek spokesperson Lydia Amutenya told Namibia Business Review that the records show that approximately 180 manhole covers were reported stolen or missing during 2026.
“According to the City’s records, approximately 180 manhole covers were reported stolen or missing during 2026.
The City spends approximately N$500 000 annually on the replacement of missing or stolen manhole covers,” she said,
The missing covers leave open manholes that pose a risk to pedestrians and motorists. Amutenya said the financial impact of infrastructure theft goes beyond the direct cost of replacing the covers.
“Additional expenditure may be incurred for emergency response measures, temporary site protection, repair of damaged chambers, road reinstatement, staff resources and other remedial works,” she said.
Civil engineer Maria Antonio of Trinitas Consulting Engineering said cast iron and steel manhole covers are targeted because of their resale value at scrap and metal yards. The covers weigh between 40kg and 100kg, she said.
“Manhole covers are made out of cast iron or steel and once stolen they can be sold at scrap yards. Due to their weight they can easily fetch a lot of money once they are weighed,” she said.
Sare Scrap Metal owner Reinault Van Der Berg, has however disputed claims that stolen municipal manhole covers are sold to scrap yards.
He said scrap yards are heavily regulated and forbidden from buying municipal property. “Most of us scrap yards are not allowed to buy manhole covers, even water meters. Even if they are damaged or broken, as long as they have that logo that says ‘City of Windhoek’, we are forbidden from buying anything that belongs to the municipality,” he said.
REPLACEMENT COSTS
Amutenya said replacing a single manhole cover can cost the City between N$6000 and N$7 500.
The cost includes labour, materials, tearing down the damaged structure and reconstructing the manhole.
She said the replacement and maintenance of manhole covers are not budgeted for as a standalone project, which can delay their replacement.
“The replacement and maintenance of manhole covers form part of the City’s broader roads and stormwater infrastructure maintenance programme and are not necessarily budgeted for as a standalone item.”
Amutenya said the City is also facing the theft of other municipal infrastructure, including water valves, chamber covers, stormwater infrastructure, bell-tobies and other cast-iron components forming part of its municipal service networks.
She said safety markers and pegs used to demarcate hazardous areas are also being stolen.
These are used to alert the public where a missing manhole cover presents an immediate danger.
Amutenya urged residents to report missing manhole covers as soon as they are identified so the City can assess and prioritise the risks.
MOVE TO PLASTIC COVERS
Engineers say the City could reduce theft by moving away from traditional cast iron manhole covers.
Engineer Antonio said manhole covers in urban areas have a shorter lifespan, mainly because of damage caused by repeatedly opening and closing them for maintenance.
She said the construction of drainage systems is increasingly moving away from cast iron manhole covers to durable polymer covers that are resistant to rust and theft. “In our case we have quantified the use of polymer composite covers to reduce their desirability. They are a more sustainable and durable solution to reduce the risk of them getting stolen,” she said.
Antonio said polymer composite covers made from fibreglass and resin are more expensive but more durable in the long run.
Elvin Hauuanga, a civil engineer at Telios Engineering, said developers are increasingly using DMC Poly manhole covers, which are not susceptible to rusting.
“DMC Poly manhole covers are becoming increasingly popular around Windhoek. We are turning away from cast iron manhole covers which make it more difficult to service when they rust and are harder to open,” he said.
Hauuanga said DMC Poly covers are heavy-duty plastic covers fitted with locking mechanisms to prevent them from being opened and damaged.
He said supplier quotations put the cost at N$356 for a DMC Poly manhole cover, frame, hinges and mechanical locks.
He called on the municipality to secure uncovered manholes and install warning signs to alert residents to the danger.
“It’s very quite dangerous to leave manholes open. Manholes are deep and anyone could get seriously injured if they do not put a warning sign so people don’t hurt themselves,” he said.
Civil engineer Anthony Botes said reinforced concrete or precast covers could also be used to reduce theft.
“Heavy duty reinforced concrete or precast covers can lower the risk of getting stolen as it ensures that there is no resale value. When the manhole cover is not made from cast iron it cannot be stolen,” he said. Botes said companies such as the municipality order drainage-system parts such as manholes in bulk to maintain costs and secure discounts.
Simon Malakia of Koshipululo Consultancy Engineering attributed the theft of municipal infrastructure to poverty, unemployment and rising living costs.
“The high poverty levels, unemployment and rising costs of living drive individuals to target public infrastructure for survival or fast income,” he said.
Malakia said demand for metal and metal prices also make heavy municipal assets targets for illegal resale. He warned that open manholes pose a public health risk because they expose sewer lines.
“Open manholes are a public health risk as open holes expose sewer lines, releasing hazardous gases and creating breeding grounds for pests,” he said.
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