Manholes are traditionally expected to be round in shape, but industrial sectors such as electrical, plumbing, fibre optic networks, infrastructure, internal drainage systems and basement utility chambers can all benefit from Rocla’s square manholes and manhole covers.
“The Rocla square manholes offer infrastructural benefits such as larger areas for the purpose of cable installations and maintenance access while also providing space for valves and control systems. Internal space can be maximised for the electrical and telecommunications sectors and basements and corridors are more easily integrated into the building layout with square manholes. Whilst it is a novel product, the square manholes would, for example, also make access to conduct maintenance and repairs to underground installations more easily accessible.” said Muhammad Bodhania, Technical Executive at Rocla.
During a recent project for a bulk sewer upgrade in Montague Gardens in the Western Cape, which also included a complete new pipeline for the City of Cape Town, a new Sandtrap Screening Station was constructed to reduce the impact of waste material in the sewerage on Koeberg rd pumpstation.
During the course of this project, upgrades to the Koeberg Road Pumpstation were announced and
City of Cape Town made a request to the CSV Construction for a connection to be created for the future pumpstation. “We suggested a connection be allowed from the Sandtrap Screening Station to the planned pumpstation to reduce risk and additional work in future the, City agreed that it was a better solution. Rocla’s square manholes were selected for the project as they were able to meet all the site and design specifications in works area with limited space. “said Cobus le Roux, Construction Manager at CSV Construction.
“There were major benefits in partnering with Rocla, not least the adaptability of the square manholes to site conditions, but also in Rocla’s willingness to accommodate and assist for items out of the norm. The benefit of using the square manholes on the project is that the overall cost and risk mitigation is contained due to the availability of a workable product” le Roux concluded.
Manufacture of the Rocla units supplied commenced in August of 2025, and all items were delivered within one month. “We manufactured 12 off 3000 x 2500 x 0.50 square manholes and 3000 x 2500 manhole cover slabs (MD) for the Montague Gardens project” commented Bodhania.
“We currently offer three sizes in the square manhole range namely 1.2m x 1.2m, 2m x 2m and 3m x 2.5m. The 1.2m x 1.2m is an ideal replacement for the traditional municipal brickwork manholes. The 2m x 2m and 3m x 2.5m have been used nationally for bulk infrastructure projects such as Rand Water. Rocla offers a standard design for the manholes to be buried 6m deep, but we can accommodate special depths and sizes if required and feasible” he concluded.
Modular concrete rooms can be constructed from square manholes, with the manholes making up the walls and the cover slab being used as the roofing. A channel is cast into the unit to create a frame for the door to be mounted (supplied by the client). This is ideally suited to house equipment such as pumps.
The Rocla square manholes offer enhanced aesthetics as they align better with the final finish level (such as pavers for example) and the flat surface of the square manhole allows for incoming perpendicular pipes to enter the manhole flush with the surface making sealing easier. Likewise mounting equipment, installing vents are also easier due to the flat surface.
Transportation and storage of square manholes can be managed more efficiently due to no gaps being between the products which can allow for an easier installation in certain scenarios where the square manholes can be fitted snugly against adjacent walls and corners.
HDPE lined concrete pipes and manholes offer the advantages of concrete and plastic in that the product offers the strength of reinforced concrete and is inert to various attacks and is ideal for sewer systems or aggressive fluids. Standard HDPE lining is light green and 3mm thick and different colours and thicknesses can be supplied.
Rocla also offers a range of pre-cast concrete products for infrastructure, including pipes, culverts, poles and various other related products.
Rocla is a member of the Concrete Manufacturers Association of South Africa.
##################END####################
Rocla has an extensive network of factories throughout South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. They are able to design and manufacture customised special products to meet customer’s requirements. This is made
possible as a result of Rocla’s in-house Engineering department and associated technical expertise and quality controls.
Rocla has over 107 years of experience in the pre-cast concrete sector and is part of the Infrastructure Specialist Group of companies that includes Technicrete.
