Cruywagen Park residents are fed up with poor service delivery in the area, with issues ranging from poor sewer maintenance to street lights not working.

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Residents voiced their grievances to GCN, stating the area is troubled by constant overflowing of sewage.

Lack of maintenance of the street lights and roads were was also raised.

Marietjie Barnard, community member, said the street lights have not been working for over a year and a half.

“When we phone the department, they say they are waiting for an order of bulbs but, in the meantime, people are stealing cables and switches because the poles are not working.

“The electricity pole at the corner of Wilters and Van de Venter streets is damaged as a tree fell over some time ago. Nobody has been out to do any repairs on it,“ said Barnard.

She told GCN residents requested solar lights be installed but that the request was denied.

“Lights not working also creates a security risk, especially in this area where the crime rate has increased.“

Samantha van Vuuren and Virginia Vilakazi, who live opposite a sewage pump station, said they are badly affected by the sewage.

“In my backyard, where our boundary walls meet, there is a manhole that overflows. When it does, the water runs through my garden and sometimes my drain erupts with filth.”

“I have little children who cannot play outside. We have to close our windows and doors because the smell is horrendous.”

Van Vuuren said sewage blocks Sarel Street, making it difficult for motorists.

“Flies and mosquitos are a huge problem at any time of the day. This is an environmental concern, let alone air pollution.

“When the manhole leaks, water runs through my driveway too, and my pavement is starting to lift up,” said van Vuuren.

Bongani Nkosi said another concerning issue besides the overflowing sewage is illegal dumping.

“The other day I found someone about to dump near my house and I chased them away.”

Heila Fourie said the city officials use Covid-19 as an excuse to not render residents the services they deserve.

“When we complain, we are told they are short staffed due to Covid-19 or they don’t have the parts to repair the damages because the order process has been affected by the pandemic. It is always because of Covid-19.”

City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the geographic location of the settlement requires a sewer pump station for the collection of sewer effluent.

“Since November, the nearby sewer pump station was vandalised at least four times, causing sewer overflows.

“The section of the road also discharges to Van Eden pump station; therefore, failures of the station affect their sewer flows. Technicians are on site to restore the operations of the station and, in the meantime, we are doing level control to minimise the overflows,” said Dlamini.

“The station is prone to challenges of vandalism, hence we have manned security guards because most of these stations are at remote and outside residential units.

“There is no sewer reticulation allowed to discharge into rivers nor wetlands. If that happens, it must be reported for our attention to save the environment.

“The two pump stations in the vicinity collect effluent and discharge into the 900mm diameter outfall to Waterval WWTP. Seeing that most of the water and sewer infrastructure is being vandalised, EMPD is assist to ensure the safety of these stations.“