Tired of waiting for services, east residents fold up their sleeves

Residents of a Mamelodi West informal settlement, tired of a blocked stormwater drain, rolled up their sleeves to unblocked it themselves.

Seven residents of Nkandla informal settlement in section B3 said they had been waiting on the Tshwane metro to unblock the drain for a long time.

Last Thursday, they got into their work suits and took their tools without any masks and started unblocking the stinky drain. Resident Vusi Mathebula said it was their responsibility to do it for themselves because it served the settlement.

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“The drain was becoming a problem because it smelled badly because it had been blocked for several weeks.”

He said it was clearly not hygienic for the locals.

“This could be prevented and if the residents of Nkandla could stop throwing away all manner of waste, including pampers, in the drain because it causes blockages.

“Residents use the drain as a washing place and throw in used water after bathing and cleaning in their kitchens.”

Another resident Joseph Chabalala said it was up to them to take care of the drain and residents needed to work together to ensure no health hazard was caused to everyone.

Although the residents spent the whole day clean the drain, it was still not fully functional.

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Chabalala said the matter would be reported again so the municipal workers could bring the right equipment to complete the job.

He said they would monitor the residents while waiting for the municipal workers to come.

“We are concerned as residents because our health is at risk that is why we have embarked on cleaning this drain.”

The settlement developed in 2014, when residents occupied an open piece of land.

Former regional director Sello Chipu and councillor Dorcas Mathe previously intervened to ensure the unblocking of drains and provision of mobile toilets to the area following a previous protest.

Residents have also complained about being on the RDP housing waiting list “forever”.

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Most of the residents who live in Nkandla said they had been on the waiting list since 1996 and were too poor to obtain bank mortgages to buy their homes privately.

Most had moved from family houses “because they were tired of staying in backyard rooms at their parent’s homes, because they had their own families too”.

They have pleaded with the metro to relocate them to fully serviced permanent stands as they were willing to pay for services.

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