Endless sewer problems faced by Colenso resident
Some days he and his family can't bath, instead using a bucket filled with water
Fanile Mkhize of 3 Hughes Road in Colenso has been living with endless sewer problems since October last year due to sewerage pumps that have not been fixed. Fanile says he has made numerous calls to the uThukela call centre and offices since the time the problem started, right up until now, with no joy.
When he gets through to someone at uThukela, they say they are sending workers out to fix the problem, but this hasn’t happened. Fanile’s house is at the corner of the road, which means that when the blockage is at its worst, all the sewage in the area goes into his house.
Raw effluent flows out his kitchen door, bathroom and toilet. The toilet can’t be flushed, as sewage flows out of it, and the bath has to be plugged with a stopper and a stone so that sewer water doesn’t rise up into the bathtub. Some days he and his family can’t bath, instead using a bucket filled with water. The smell is so bad that they can’t even use the kitchen to cook, and the flies are at their worst now. Fanile has sores on his arms due to mosquito bites, as these insects breed in the sewage.
Over the December period, Fanile was scared to tell relatives to come over and visit him, as the stench is so bad. His sister’s children couldn’t even play outside, as the situation poses a health hazard. He claims that the family members who did visit didn’t stay long because they couldn’t stand the smell.
Fanile has to empty the drain pipes that are full of sewer water every morning and afternoon, using his bare hands and a bucket. He doesn’t have protective equipment, and feels this constitutes a very real health risk.
Fanile needs this problem to be fixed pronto and asks how much longer he must wait, as “I am paying my rates!”
