Mamelodi councillors dirty their hands unblocking sewers

Local ward councillors took it upon themselves to bring service delivery to the community of Mamelodi and Nellmapius on Saturday.

The councillors donned their work suits and got their hands dirty unblocking sewers around Mamelodi and Nellmapius.

Joined by members of the community, together cleaned 10 on the first day.

The protest by municipal workers that started last month has led to service delivery grinding to a halt in many areas and incessant complaints from the community.

The councillors and residents called their project Operation Kuka Maoto.

Councillors and project founders Joel Masilela and Seabelo Marishane told Record why they decided to roll up their sleeves.

“We drove around the community and found the streets flooded with human waste.”

Masilela said they had been receiving complaint after complaint from community members since the municipal strike started and felt they needed to act fast because the sewers were also a health hazard for everyone.

He said it was too much to expect community members stuck in their homes not to open windows for fresh air because of the bad, stinky smell of sewage.

He said as local councillors, they decided to intervene by launching Kuka Moato since there was no service delivery from the Tshwane metro.

“Community members were requested to report to the metro where there are problems and obtain reference numbers but the service is not delivered to them,” said Masilela.

Community members were also complaining about the health risks because almost all the streets were flooded with sewage and the unbearable stench filled the air.

“They saw what we were doing and gladly joined us, helping to unblock the sewers. Local plumbers also volunteered to help.

“We won’t stand back and fold our arms and watch as if nothing is going on. We are here to help as ward councillors and we will do everything in our power to make sure our areas are up to standard,” Masilela said.

He said they would be attending to sewage blockages across all the townships. He encouraged volunteers, with or without experience, to come on board to make sure that Operation Kuka Maoto was a success.

Masilela said the community needs to understand that service delivery is currently in abeyance because of the strike.

“We must help each other and work together to make our township better.

“We call upon business people to help with tools and equipment.

“ We won’t stop here. All reported and unattended service delivery matters will be attended to,” he concluded.

Marishane said: “We will be moving on to other service delivery matters in our area.”

Resident Koketso Tloubatla said he liked what the ward councillors were doing.

“They must keep up the good work and must not stop here.”

He wished all ward councillors across Tshwane could be like that.

“I’m happy to see ward councillors getting their hands dirty and working. It shows our vote did not go to waste as we see they are even fixing sewer blockages,” Freddah Mazibuko.

Lebogang Skosana said: “The ward councillors are so brave and serious. They are even going deep by unblocking all sewers and are not afraid of human waste.”

The metro recently announced that there were 200 sewer blockages reported in Region 6.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said due to the strike the response time for attending to these reported blocked and overflowing sewers is delayed.

He said there was however a standby team attending to the backlog.

The municipal workers’ strike started on July 24

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