‘Sewage’ flows freely for close to a year
NOORDWYK - Residents have been driving and walking over smelly water for almost a year now.
Bheki Sibanda, a gardener who often sits at the corner of Lever and Liebenberg roads, said he suspects it is sewage water. Sibanda said, “When motorists drive by, the water splashes pedestrians and the smell sticks to your clothes the whole day.”
Sibanda added that some days the water flows fast and at the beginning of November, a school pupil fell into the smelly water while waiting for a taxi.
One motorist, who did not want to be named, claimed that service delivery is a nightmare in Midrand. “If it’s not squatters, it’s litter or a situation like this where we have been driving over stinking water on Lever Road.”
However, Ward 92 councillor Leepile Motsumi maintains it is not sewage water. “We are aware of the problem. Joburg Water promised to intervene earlier this year and assess the situation, [but] the repairs are on hold as we are waiting for the municipal capital expenditure for 2014; we will include the repairs in next year’s budget.” Councillor Motsumi admitted the water is a daily frustration for road users.
Although a formal assessment has not yet taken place, earlier this year Joburg Water did send an inspector to the site, who determined that repairs needed to be undertaken.
Motsumi explained Joburg Water plans to install new underground pipes which will solve the problem of water flowing onto the road.
According to Joburg Water spokesperson Millicent Kabwe, a new query has been logged, and, once the budget has been approved, a formal assessment will then be done to solve the problem.
