FOR OVER a month now, the community of Rainbow Park, Illovo, have borne the brunt of stormwater runoff and sewage contamination, leading to increased hygiene and environmental concerns.

Also read: Commitment to cleanliness at Illovo Beach

Resident, Bongani Mhlongo said he is at his wits’ end trying to escalate matters to improve the situation, going so far as to contact the mayor directly.

“Heavy rains cause overflow which in turn contaminates our local waterways, posing health risks, especially to our more vulnerable elderly people as well as our school children,” said Mhlongo.

He explained that inadequate infrastructure is one of the main issues, which are further exacerbated by a lack of regular maintenance and inspections. He called for an assessment of affected infrastructure, short-term mitigation steps and long-term plans for infrastructure upgrades and public education campaigns on proper waste disposal, citing that waste upstream often leads to pollution that affects water quality at local beaches.

“I’m running out of patience. We as a community have been suffering for too long,” said Mhlongo. He has taken matters into his own hands, cutting overgrowth that he believes is blocking proper stormwater flow.

Media relations officer for the eThekwini Municipality, Luthando Ngubane, explained that the City is in the process of collating information, confirming that the matter is receiving attention.

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