Man-made blockages in the sewer pipeline servicing the Glencoe abattoir have again resulted in blood residue spilling from a manhole.

Abattoir workers responded to complaints on Wednesday morning, where they cleared the blockage and removed a towel that had obstructed the flow.

The Health Department and Umzinyathi District Municipality, which is responsible for the sewer network, previously issued nearby abattoirs with compliance letters permitting waste blood to be flushed into the system, stating that it does not pose a health risk.

Debris blamed for repeated incidents

A similar incident occurred in December last year when workers discovered the sewer line blocked by broken manhole covers, rocks, iron pipes and condoms. Once the debris was removed, normal flow was restored.

The problem resurfaced this week, with abattoir representatives Yusri Manuel and Nerika Gopie confirming that their workers, assisted by the Umzinyathi technical team, again cleared a blockage that caused the spillage.

“The municipality and others have blamed the abattoir for the problem, but this is not the full picture,” they told the Courier. “Our workers are cleaning the drains.”

While thanking the Umzinyathi technical team for its assistance, abattoir officials urged residents and businesses to stop disposing of inappropriate items into the sewer system, warning that foreign objects lead to blockages that pose environmental, health and safety risks to the wider community.

They again appealed to residents to help protect the infrastructure by keeping the sewer system free of debris.

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