Jukskei Park residents say recurring sewage overflows and a persistent stench continue to plague their neighbourhood, while Johannesburg Water (JW) maintains its pump station is operational but a nearby manhole frequently blocks.

Residents are calling for a lasting solution to recurring sewage spills into the Klein Jukskei River, saying the persistent smell and pollution are affecting their homes, businesses and the river. The complaints centre on a manhole next to the Jukskei sewer pump station, which JW spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala says frequently becomes blocked, resulting in sewage overflowing before it reaches the facility.

Area resident Greg Thompson said he first noticed the problem 14 years ago. “The stench has been unbearable,” he said. He believes the area requires more than repeated responses to blockages, suggesting the pump station should be relocated or upgraded with measures such as sound dampers, a larger grinder, fencing and indigenous trees.

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Ward 115 councillor Mark van der Merwe said sewer spillage complaints have been ongoing for as long as he can remember, adding that residents and businesses have raised concerns about sewage entering the river. He said the Jukskei sewer pump station is a temporary facility and that blockages in its mulching section, as well as silt build-up, can contribute to overflows.

JW, however, has rejected claims that the pump station has been out of operation for years. Shabalala said the pump station is currently operational, with water levels low and pumping continuing normally.

She said the more frequent problem occurs at the manhole outside the pump station. “More often, the manhole just outside the pump station would block, and calls will be recorded as the pump station overflowing,” she said.

The utility said its depot responds to these blockages, while the pump station is connected to its SCADA telemetry system, which alerts teams when levels rise or overflow alarms are triggered. “The pump station was upgraded and returned to service around July 2022 as the first phase of a programme,” said Shabalala, adding that JW said it remains a temporary solution, with phase 2 currently in progress through the programme management unit.

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With residents continuing to report the smell and concerns about sewage entering the river, Fourways Review has sent a follow-up inquiry to JW’s environmental department. The inquiry asks whether an environmental assessment has been conducted, what impact the recurring sewage spills are having on the Klein Jukskei River and surrounding environment, and whether rehabilitation or bioremediation is planned.

Ho response had been received by September 21, despite multiple follow-ups, with Phakamani Ndlovu only acknowledging the inquiry.

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