Manhole surcharge seeps into stream
eThekwini Municipality said the blockage was caused by rags.
CONCERNS were raised after a stream which runs alongside Kingfisher Road in Toti was polluted with sewage last week.
The Sun was alerted to the issue by Les Spence on Friday afternoon, 17 April.
There was a strong smell of sewage and the water in the stream was black. “A group of businessmen contacted me to investigate, after the fish kill in the Toti River. The Kingfisher stream feeds into the Toti River from underneath Isundu Drive,” he said.
Spence also pointed out a sewage manhole which had a missing cover, possibly stolen for scrap metal.
A resident who lives in Kingfisher Road logged two complaints with eThekwini Municipality, but the smell and water discolouration were still present on Wednesday morning, 22 April.
“I first noticed the problem last Thursday, 16 April. Is the municipality going to fix the effects or address the cause? From an environmental view the stream and Toti River are being ruined. There is a variety of bird life along the river including fish eagles and pelicans,” said the concerned resident.
eThekwini head of communications, Tozi Mthethwa responded to the Sun’s query on the pollution.
“The city can confirm that there was a manhole surcharge in Kingfisher Road on Friday, 17 April. The blockage was caused by rags. It was unblocked by officials from the relevant unit. There has been no reported fish kill as a result of the blockage.”
