Residents of Mokgoba believe their community will only become habitable again when the City of Ekurhuleni permanently resolves the sewer crisis that has plagued the area for years.

Community members took the Benoni City Times on a tour of Section Three in Ext 37 on July 15, exposing the extent of the overflowing sewage that has robbed many families of their dignity.

The tour revealed blocked manholes, overflowing drains and toilets, streets flooded with wastewater and homes battling raw sewage daily.

Residents said the main sewer line, about 500m south of the community, has allegedly been blocked for the past seven years. Manholes overflow with wastewater, faeces and nappies, while a stream of sewage flows downhill into a stagnant dam.

At her home in Luxury Street, Nomsa Magagula pointed to sewage flowing from the drain outside her house, saying she was fortunate it was not backing up through her toilet on the day.

“It started three months ago. I reported it and received a reference number, but nothing has happened,” she said.

Unable to wait for assistance, Magagula hired a plumber to create a temporary channel using pipes, bricks and cement to divert the wastewater into the street.

“I have spent a lot of money trying to fix this. When my neighbours flush their toilets, all the waste comes out here. It stinks. We can’t even eat.”

Her neighbour, Thabo Mokoena, said mornings often begin with yards submerged in sewage.

“When we wake up, our yards are full of sewage. We are humbly asking for help. We are desperate,” he said.

Further down the street, Sonto Mathye said Section Three bears the brunt of the problem because sewage from the northern parts of the community eventually ends up in their yards.

Residents have even built a small barrier across part of Luxury Street to redirect the wastewater away from their homes.

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“This has become unbearable. Hearses and ambulances no longer come here because of the sewer. It flows into our yards,” she said.

“It’s painful. I can’t even enjoy boerewors anymore because the faeces we see every day are shaped like a wors. We are tired.”

Rejoice Khumalo said many households have spent thousands of rand on plumbers to construct makeshift channels to divert the sewage.

“Plumbers are coining it in Mokgoba, but these are only temporary fixes. The real problem is in the main sewer lines where the blockages are. We are losing money. We need a permanent solution,” she said.

Idah Mathivha said the crisis dates back to when residents first moved into the RDP houses.

“We started complaining soon after moving in. The drains blocked, and sewage flowed into our yards. Later it became worse. You would flush the toilet, and everything would come back into the house. We have pleaded for help for years, but nothing has happened,” she said.

“The municipality has done nothing to help us. Elections are coming and officials will suddenly appear pretending to care. After the voting, they will disappear again.”

Responding to questions from the paper, City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the municipality would implement interim measures to reduce the impact on residents.

“These measures include isolating and repairing affected infrastructure, clearing sewage spills where possible and disinfecting affected areas once repairs have been completed,” he said.

Community leader California Bikizana said temporary interventions would not solve a problem that had persisted for years.

“The continuous overflows pose serious health and environmental risks to our community. This requires a co-ordinated effort between residents and the municipality. Experts must locate the blockages in the main sewer lines because that is where the real problem lies. Quick fixes won’t solve this crisis,” she said.

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