Booysens residents suffer sewage leaks from illegal septic tanks
Homeowners say overflowing sewage has plagued their yards for months, with the city blaming poorly constructed septic tanks in a nearby informal settlement.
The Tshwane Metro has stated its intention to appoint a new contractor to assist in the formalisation of informal settlements in and around Booysens, after residents raised concerns of sewage leaking into their properties.
One such resident, Magriet Breedt, said sewage has been leaking into her yard on Hjalmer Street from the Gomora Informal Settlement since late last year, and despite her appeals, little has been done to help her.
“It feels like no one really cares about solving the problem. This has been going on for so long.
She said it started to seep into her yard in November 2024.
After reaching out to the municipality and being referred to other authorities, the stench and damage of the leak have gotten worse as she’s been sent on a run-around.
Speaking to the Rekord, metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that the informal settlement’s illegal septic tanks behind Breedt’s and her neighbours’ homes were leaking.
“The main contributing factor to this challenge is the sewer spillage from Gomora Informal Settlement.
The spillages are a result of informal or illegal septic tanks that are badly constructed by the locals, often very shallow in structure and do not meet the necessary quality standards,” Mashigo said.
“The installation of these septic tanks has resulted in the continuous overflowing of sewage into the affected properties. The regional maintenance teams assist as often as possible to clear the spillages and avoid health hazards,” he said.
Mashigo said in the medium to long term, the city, through its Housing and Human Settlements Department, is in the process of formalising different informal settlements in and around the Booysens area, including Gomora.
“The department had previously appointed a contractor for the construction of water and sewer reticulation services in Booysens Ext 4. However, construction activities were halted due to poor performance by the contractor, and the project could not be completed.
“The city will embark on a procurement process for the appointment of a new contractor to complete the outstanding milestones. It is anticipated that the contractor will commence work in March 2026,” Mashigo added.
Mashigo also noted that a conditional assessment of the installed infrastructure was undertaken, and no leakages or overflows were identified on the already installed sewer network during the assessment. He said it is therefore evident that the spillages are emanating from the illegal septic tanks.
In the interim, the city, through its Water and Sanitation Business Unit, will continue to respond to sewer blockages as they are reported.
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