Basimane Seleka from “Di loan tsabo ntate Madibo”, an area in Ikageng, asked the Herald to assist in getting the sewage issue in his area resolved. Since buying a house in Madieme Street in 2018, Basimane says he and his neighbours have battled and even learnt to live with the sewage. “I have reported this issue to J.B. Marks municipality and the infrastructure department. I was promised that the engineers would come and evaluate the situation but, to this day, nothing has been done to rectify it,” he said in frustration. “When municipal officials eventually do come, they unblock the drains and two or three days later, it starts all over again. Even getting them to come in the first place requires a lot of effort from the people of this area. We call five or six times a day – they even know us by name,” Basimane continued. Basimane even took matters into his own hands and got a lawyer to intervene. Since then, there seems to be a slight improvement. Basimane has been in and out of hospital since 2019 and blames the stink of the sewage. He is not the only one; one of his neighbours complains about shortness of breath from the stench of the drains. “We have been living here since 2007 and the sewage issue has been getting worse each year,” one of the neighbours added. “Whenever I call in to report these issues, they make a complete joke of me and continue to call me inappropriate names, ”he said angrily. Residents added that they very often find diapers and human faeces in their yards. “Sometimes, we can’t even eat because of the foul smell,” he added. “Our kitchens are close to the drains and even if you close the door, the smell still gets in,” he continued. The residents added that, on the few occasions that the municipality has come to evaluate the situation, they just unblock the drains and leave them to clean the mess. “They tell us they are not responsible for cleaning the leakage in our yards – they just operate in the streets” one of the residents added “This issue even causes tension between us; some people break down their neighbour’s wall and channel their leaking pipes into another yard,” she continued. “We are tired and getting sick, we need help,” she pleaded. The Herald asked the municipality for comment, but none was forthcoming by the time of publication. 
