People keeping cattle between Khutsong and the Wonderfonteinspruit complain about huge sewage problems.
One of the cattle owners pointed out a small dam that was brimming with sewage this week.

The dam is situated about a kilometre from Khutsong Ext. 2, parts of which have been plagued with sewerage problems for years.
In some of the affected areas, municipal contractors use honey-sucker trucks to remove excess sewage that
would otherwise have streamed into people’s yards. In other places, the trucks are just not enough to stop huge
sewage spills from occurring regularly.
Some of the residents say the sewage starts to leak again shortly after the trucks leave. According to them, these
trucks dump their loads from other areas into the dam, which is situated near cattle kraals.
As far as the Herald could determine, the dam was used to dry out sewage before the sewerage system to the
area was upgraded in the 1990s. As it is not part of this system anymore, it is supposed to be dry. The trucks are
supposed to drop their loads in a separate brick pit on the side of the dam that is linked to a pipeline over the
Wonderfonteinspruit to the Khutsong sewerage works. Because this pit is blocked, however, it cannot be done
anymore.
During the Herald’s visit, a manhole near the dam was also overflowing and, according to people who often
visit the area, it has been doing so for several weeks. A large stream of sewage flowed from the manhole in the
direction of the Wonderfonteinspruit.
The area where the sewerage problems are being experienced is known for ground stability problems; several
sinkholes have occurred in yards and around municipal infrastructure in the past. Residents fear that the sewerage
leaks pose as much of a sinkhole risk as a health hazard.
The Herald asked the Merafong City Local Municipality about the problem on Tuesday. The municipal spokesperson
promised that the matter would be investigated and a further reply would be provided.