Florentia resident suffers years of sewage flooding
A Florentia resident’s home has become a sewage disaster zone due to ongoing municipal failures. Despite years of complaints, the City of Ekurhuleni has yet to provide a lasting solution, leaving his yard flooded with raw sewage and his health at risk.
A long-time Florentia resident has been struggling with a recurring sewage crisis because of a blocked municipal drain outside his home; the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) has failed to provide a lasting solution.
Each time the municipal drain clogs, it forces raw sewage into his private drain, flooding his entire yard.
Repeated contamination has destroyed his once-thriving vegetable garden and the foul-smelling waste often covers his property.
“I report the issue to the municipality, and when they come, they just fiddle with the drain and leave,” he explained.
“They fix it temporarily, and that’s it.”
A health hazard ignored
This ongoing issue is not just an inconvenience – it is a serious health risk. Years ago, after cleaning up one of the many sewage floods, the resident contracted an E. coli infection.
Later, he developed colon cancer, and though he is not certain if the two are connected, he remains concerned.
“I read somewhere that E. coli can cause cancer,” he said.
Despite repeated complaints, the municipality has not taken meaningful action.
At one point, officials blamed tree roots for the blockage, claiming they had grown into the pipes.
The officials replaced a section of the pipe, but the problem soon returned.
“Whenever you least expect it, the drain blocks. Sewage shoots up from the municipal drain, pushes into my pipes, and again floods my yard,” he said.
Recent incidents highlight ongoing neglect
On December 15, 2024, the resident once again found his yard flooded with raw sewage.
Then, on February 20, just after finishing yard work, the familiar stench hit him. Within minutes, his entire backyard was under sewage.
“I called the municipality at 11:00. They only sent people at 16:00, but by then, it was too late. They just got the water flowing and left.”
The repeated exposure to raw sewage has made daily life unbearable.
“I cannot even cook because of the smell,” he lamented.
“What we are going through is a crime against humanity. And we cannot take legal action – we don’t have the money for that.”
Community frustration grows
A neighbour, Belinda Botha, has also suffered from the ongoing crisis.
“The last time this happened, it messed up our pool. This time, my dogs were covered in sewage. It was terrible,” she said.
“When we asked the municipality to clean up, they said they don’t have the equipment or chemicals.”
Residents of Florentia are tired of the empty promises and temporary fixes. They want real solutions.
“The municipality just tells me, ‘We will make a note,’ but that note is not fixing my yard,” the resident said.
The City of Ekurhuleni has yet to respond
Alberton Record contacted the CoE for comment regarding the ongoing sewage issues affecting Florentia residents.
An email was sent enquiring about the problem, but we are still waiting for a response.
