WATCH: Diepsloot residents march for relief from overflowing toilets and blocked sewerage pipes
The residents have issued an ultimatum to the City of Johannesburg's Executive Mayor, demanding action on overflowing toilets, blocked sewerage pipes, and dumping grounds. They vow to take drastic measures if their pleas are ignored.
Diepsloot residents, community leaders, and stakeholders gathered for a peaceful yet determined service delivery march on March 29.
The protest, carefully organised by a coalition of local organisations and community forums, aimed to bring attention to the area’s persistent service delivery challenges and demand immediate intervention from the City of Johannesburg’s Executive Mayor Dada Morero.
The march, which began at Diepsloot Mall and concluded at the Diepsloot Police Station, drew participation from a broad cross-section of the community, including representatives from the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO), Diepsloot Community Forum (DCF), and various local churches and women’s forums.
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“We handed over the memorandum but we are waiting for the mayor to call us back. We gave him 14 days to give us the feedback we need,” said Vincent Ndou, who is one of the conveners and residents.
“We have an issue with mobile toilets that are supposed to be drained every two weeks. However, there are households with toilets that have not been drained for two to four months. They are now so full, and infested with worms, emitting an unbearable stench.”
Ndou said another pressing concern is blocked sewerage pipes. He said there are households being forced to navigate sewage leaks that flow right past their gates – and in some cases, even inside their yards.
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“We have made endless reports to Johannesburg Water (JW) about this, and no one comes to attend to them. We’re also struggling with Pikitup. Their teams are not coming to clean up the dumping areas. We were told that this is a temporary place, when we moved here, but it has been 23 years for me.”
Ndou said they would be left with no choice but to strike if the mayor does not meet their demands. “The march was legal, but if our requests fall on deaf ears we will strike.”
Philicia Mathete, one of the residents, said she agrees with the idea of a strike because it seems like it is the only language that officials understand. “Going to the toilet is natural, but it is painful to eat, and then, when it is time to relieve yourself, you can’t because the toilet is full. That is very painful. What we need is simple: Service delivery. Those mobile toilets get full and now we have to live with worms. The purpose of the march is for us to get urgent help.”
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Chris Vondo, the spokesperson of the office of the mayor, requested Fourways Review to resend the memorandum before he could comment. The memorandum was resent to him, with questions, but these were not answered at the time we went to print, despite following up.
We also reached out to Puleng Mopeli, JW spokesperson, but no comment was offered at the time we went to print.
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