Black sewage flowing into Sun Valley houses raises health concerns
Residents say they have reported the issue to the metro and have the reference numbers to prove it. They further claim that the metro has done nothing so far. The metro, however, says the sewers are unblocked continuously.
Ward 67 residents in Section B3 and Sun Valley, next to Mamelodi cemetery, say they have been forced to breathe unbearable stench from two overflowing sewers inside the cemetery.
The residents claimed the sewers had been overflowing for a very long time, and it had gotten to the point where it damaged the tar road inside the cemetery.
Lucky Mathebula from Section B3 said, “The overflowing sewage is putting our health at risk because we are forced to inhale the bad smell for months”.
Mathebula said efforts were made to report the sewage to the Tshwane metro, but nothing has been done to date.
“The overflowing sewage goes down the cemetery tar road to [the] Sun Valley area, where the water has now turned black and has started entering Sun Valley houses,” said Mathebula.
“Tshwane metro needs to act fast and repair these sewers. The longer we wait for the sewer to be fixed, the more damage will be caused,” said Mathebula.
He stated the festive season is around the corner, when families come together to celebrate. “We are forced to make alternative plans.”
Joseph Maake from the Soil of Africa Civic movement said residents on Thokozane Street, Xolani Street, and some parts of Boundary Drive and Rammala Street are mostly affected.
“This is an extreme concern as the ongoing sewerage crisis is affecting the residents of Mamelodi West and Sun Valley.” He said it is putting their health in danger, especially small children.
Maake said the residents have reference numbers to show that they have reported the matter, but the metro has failed to respond, repair, or communicate, leaving communities exposed to dangerous health conditions.
He described the situation as no longer a service-delivery issue, saying, “It is a human rights violation”.
Maake said his organisation has visited families affected by the two sewers.
One of the residents of Sunvalley was forced to take her 19-month-old girl to a safer place due to the smell.
Maake claimed the family said they could no longer bear the smell and that they had been polite and patient for some time now.
“The water sewage has now turned black and there are lots of children playing at Sun Valley Community Park.”
Maake added that the stench, contamination, and uncontrolled overflow of black sewage pose a severe health hazard, particularly to infants and children who use the local park daily.
Both residents of Sun Valley and Section B3 claimed they had reported the matter to the ward councillor.
“Tshwane metro and the MMC for Utilities and Infrastructure need to protect the community from dangerous environmental and health hazards.”
He said the metro needs to act fast when it comes to service delivery issues.
“Soil of Africa cannot keep quiet and accept silence from Tshwane metro when it’s time to deliver services to the residents.”
Maake added that the organisation demands the emergency deployment of a full sewer maintenance team to Mamelodi Cemetery and Sun Valley area to unblock, repair, and sanitise affected streets.
“Failure to act will result in mass mobilisation, a community report-back gathering, and legal escalation, including health and environmental complaints lodged with relevant oversight bodies.”
Maake concluded by saying the movement stands firmly with the people of Sun Valley, Mamelodi West, and Ward 67.
Residents are especially worried about the continuous overflow of sewage flooding the streets and houses in Sun Valley because they have small children.
“It’s almost school holidays and our children will be playing in the streets,” Mathebula said.
“Who will be looking after them when we are at work?”
He claimed that this was not the first time the sewer was blocked and waste flowed freely in the cemetery.
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the sewer is cleared continuously.
“The sewer at the cemetery is frequently blocked due to the stormwater ingress. It overflows mostly in summer during rainy seasons and, other than that, the sewer network gets blocked by foreign objects and non-degradable materials disposed of into the sewer network by residents,” said Mashigo.
The sanitation team unblocked the sewer on Wednesday.
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