A LOWER Illovo family has had to endure the smell of raw sewage and flies in their home because of an outfall emanating from their back drain as a result of a clogged mainline.

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Alvin Tagat said he has reported the matter to eThekwini Municipality over the past few months but nothing has been done.

“This line passes through my property and this sewage has been flowing in the yard for months. My wife won’t come out of the house anymore because it’s unsafe. I don’t understand why we have to be forced to live like this,” said Tagat.

He shudders when he thinks about the diseases his household may have been exposed to as a result of the outfall. The chairperson of the Lower Illovo Neighbourhood Watch, Austin Gounden, said a solution to the problem needs to be found soon.

Also read: Lower Illovo school drowns in sewage

“If this continues, the whole community is at risk of falling sick from what they inhale in the air,” said Gounden.

Lower Illovo’s Bottom Village has grappled with severe sewage leaks over the past few years, with the local primary school being affected from time to time.

Tagat’s reference number for the outfall was sent to eThekwini with questions. Acknowledgement of the email was received but no further feedback had been received at the time of publishing.

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