Villagers left to live in grisly sewage hell

PRAKTISEER – It is a known fact that personal hygiene is of prime importance to South African citizens, but this priority has been sorely overlooked in Segorong Village outside Burgersfort.

The sewerage system is deteriorating and the Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) and the contractor,

Mr Talane Moyaga, disagree on who is supposed to maintain and repair it.

A large pipe burst about four years ago and according to the community the sewage streams into the Tubatse River.

Moyaga of Talane Projects is the social facilitator who was tasked with ensuring that this community relocated to Praktiseer after Imerys Annesley Andalusite Mine started operating in the old Segorong Village.

“The SDM is responsible for the faulty sewerage. They promised that they were going to erect a huge plant earmarked to service the whole of Burgersfort and Steelpoort. I am shocked that the project is not yet implemented. Maybe they have cash problems,” he said.

SDM spokesman, Mr Willy Mosoma said he was aware of the problem and that the district municipality had received the complaints from the villagers.

He said that the Annesley Andalusite Mine was responsible for fixing the sewerage.

“We warned the mine and the contractor not to build houses in this area, as we knew that it was not conducive to have a sewage plant in Segorong.

“It is the mine’s duty to ensure that it is fixed. We have had discussions with the mine and the contractor but we cannot find a solution,” he said.

Mosoma said they would search for ways to remedy the situation.

When the residents of Segorong relocated to Praktiseer in 2012, one of the agreements between the community and the mine was for the mine to provide proper sanitation for the families.

This has allegedly not happened. Spokesman for the mine, Mr Xoliswa Mvinjelwa, was not available for comment at the time of going to press.