eMBALENHLE – Residents of Extension 17 eMbalenhle have been living with sewage spills in their yards for the last five months.
Some claim that the stench is unbearable and that their children have fallen ill and needed to be rush to the hospital.
The residents said the situation is so bad, that they are even too scared to use their toilets because of the blockages.
“We have asked for help from our municipality three months ago, but were told to wait because the truck which is being used to suck out the sewage was not available, ” said Ms Martha Mnguni.
“How are we suppose to live like this?
“The municipality which always tells us to live in a safe and healthy environment, is the one that prevents us from doing that,” said Ms Mnguni.
The residents also alleged that their councillor told them that there is nothing she can do – if the truck is busy somewhere, they have to wait.
Ms Mnguni said the municipality should rather remove their sewer pipes from her yard because it has brought her only misery.
Ms Joyce Nyawo lives with her children, aged eight and one.
She said life is difficult without a toilet.
The children were exposed to the sewage and fell ill.
“I rushed my eight-year-old child to the clinic because he was coughing too much. Then my one-year-old got a runny stomach.
“Right now I have to stop him from playing on the ground and I must keep him in my arm all the times because the sewage is all over our house and yard.
“What kind of life is this while we have people who claim to represent us at the municipality,” asked Ms Nyawo.
The Govan Mbeki executive mayor, Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma, said they have sent suction trucks into all affected areas, though it is not a permanent solution.
The mayor said the permanent solution will be the completion of the upgrading of eMbalenhle’s bulk sewer pipeline and pump stations at Ext5 and 24.
He said the municipality is trying to fix the sewer infrastructure to better the lives of communities in Govan Mbeki Municipality.
