FOLLOW-UP: Waters steps in to help oldies

Waters hopes that added pressure will finally prompt the metro to take action at flats occupied by oldies.

May 23, 2023

Jani de Beer 2 minutes read

Ward 73 PR Clr Mike Waters, stands at the site where raw sewage has been flooding the municipal owned flats, Pauline Davis Court, Harpur Avenue.

Ward 73 PR Clr Mike Waters has handed a memorandum of grievances as well as a petition over to the City of Ekurhuleni’s housing committee, highlighting the decaying state of Pauline Davis Court on Harpur Avenue.

He requested that resident grievances are tended to as a matter of urgency.

On April 7, the Benoni City Times reported that the 160 elderly residents living in the municipal-owned flats have been battling since July to have overflowing sewage lines tended to, while those living on the third floor have had little to no water for the same period.

“My husband and I have lived here for the past 14 years. We have to climb rickety stairs, carrying buckets of water, just to be able to flush a toilet or fill a kettle,” said one resident, who wished to remain anonymous out of fear of victimisation.

“We have not had running water for nearly a year, yet the housing department says this building is maintained according to municipal standards.”

Residents of Pauline Davis Court’s third storey, fear that the decaying steel staircases may collapse as they are forced to haul buckets of water to their flats.

Waters said that upon investigating the complaints, he has not only found their allegations to be true but that the living conditions at Pauline Davis Court are a gross human rights violation.

“Since launching my investigation, teams from the Department of Water and Sanitation have unblocked the sewage line which was responsible for spewing raw sewage onto the property,” said Waters.

“However, this overflow will continue because the pump station on Tom Jones Street is not working properly.

“Due to this malfunction, sewage recedes to the lowest point in the system, which is outside the flats causing it to spill onto the grounds.”

Responding to questions relating to the lack of water supply to the facility’s upper levels, Zweli Dlamini, spokesperson for the metro, stated that a burst pipe, further resulting in leaks on Rand Water’s supply line on March 15, may have contributed to taps running dry.

Pipes at the facility are completely rusted, resulting in effluent spilling onto the passages.

“A large part of Benoni was affected by the unscheduled interruption in the water supply but all services were restored the following day,” said Dlamini.

“Multi-storey buildings such as Pauline Davis Court should be fitted with in-house internal pumps to facilitate adequate water supply and pressure to higher floors.”

Waters said that further to his submission to council, he will also be approaching the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate the matter.

“Residents living in these flats pay rent to the CoE, yet their most basic human rights are being violated,” said Water.

“Despite the string of complaints logged by residents, the metro has failed to respond adequately for nearly a year. It is time that all these matters are addressed and the residents’ dignity restored.”