Sewer manhole swallows woman, donkeys

A woman in Bulawayo has been hospitalized after falling into an uncovered sewer manhole in Old Magwegwe. This incident occurred after two donkeys had experienced a similar fate the previous day, and the Bulawayo fire brigade was called in to rescue them. The manhole, which is believed to be nearly two meters deep, has been without a cover for years due to reports of residents stealing them.

Old Magwegwe residents are urging people to cease vandalizing council infrastructure, as it exposes the community to severe dangers. One resident, Thulani Nyoni, stated, "At the end of the day, it is the community that suffers, not the council. The custodians of these items turn around and steal sewage breather lids for sale as scrap metal, forgetting that we are exposing ourselves to serious danger."

Bulawayo's acting chief fire officer, Linos Phiri, confirmed these incidents and encouraged residents to remain vigilant regarding open manholes to prevent similar accidents. He also emphasized the importance of promptly reporting open manholes to the engineering department so that they can be covered, especially being cautious during the night.