Sewage causes headache

Sewage problems in Sakhile have become a norm and residents allegedly have to hire people to fix the their pipes because the Lekwa Municipality does not quickly respond when they report it.
Ms Cathrine Sibeko, a local in Sakhile, had to spend the festive season in a smelly house because of a blocked sewerage pipe.
According to her daughter, Ms Thokozile Sibeko, the problem began on 18 December.
The municipal workers came to look at the pipe, but did not repair it.
Water was coming out of the pipe at the time.
According to the family, the problem continued and they spent Christmas day with water in the yard.
They kept reporting the problem, but no one came to fix it.
The family called municipal workers on standby who refused and told them that they would repair the sewerage pipe if they pay them R350.
The family only paid R80 and they fixed it, but it continued to leak water.
The problem worsened after last week’s rain and raw sewage leaked.
“The toilet in the house leaked raw sewage and the whole house was flooded with raw sewage water.
“We cleaned it and reported it to the municipality and no one came,” Ms Sibeko said.
A neighbour suggested that they fill a bag with sand and put it over the toilet to absorb the sewage water.
“The sewage has been a problem for a long time and now it is getting worse,” Ms Sibeko said.
According to her, the whole yard is covered with the sewage smell.
“We have children and they will be sick.
“They never come in time but always when the problem is worse,” Ms Sibeko said.
According to the DA Councillor and Chief Whip, Mr Jacob Buthelezi, this is uncalled for.
“The municipality does not respect the community and this morning when I called the municipality I was told there is only one van available.
“This is a sign that they are failing, how can they expect to service the whole community of Sakhile with only one van,” Mr Buthelezi said.
According to him, people living with raw sewage in the house was an emergency and the municipal workers should have treated the matter as such.
According to locals, their ward councillor is never available.
They alleged that he moved to town and does not stay in the area anymore.
On the issue of the municipal workers taking money to do their work, the DA councillor wanted the municipality to discipline the workers involved.
Mr Sipho Mkwanazi, spokesman of the Lekwa Municipality, voiced the municipality’s disappointment in the community being unaware that they don’t have to pay workers.
The municipality would like the relevant workers’ names to investigate the matter and strongly condemned such action.
“The municipality’s doors are open and confidentiality is guaranteed,” Mr Mkwanazi said.
They will hand our educational material with invoices on the procedure to follow when reporting a problem.