Raw sewage on Coedmore Road poses health risks
Concerns are of the damage to the infrastructure the sewage causes and its serious health implications.
A SEWAGE issue on Coedmore Road in Yellowwood Park has left a motorist helpless.
For about two years, Hillary resident, Llewellyn Robinson, who works in Yellowwood Park, has driven past raw sewage that runs down the road.
He said apart from the damage to the infrastructure the sewage causes, there are serious health implications as well.
“There is raw sewerage pouring out of the ground. It runs down the road into the stormwater drain and then into the stream. It is polluting the whole area.”
“It has been like this for over two years and the people who live nearby have to put up with the stench, pollution and sickness. Whatever comes out from that drain, they have to put up with. I drive through the road twice a day, in the morning to work and back home and I have to put up with the stench every time I drive through,” he said.
He said his cries to authority have fallen on deaf ears with no joy from reporting the issue to the councillor and the municipality.
“I’ve even sent the councillor a message on Facebook and WhatsApp. People are going to get sick from this. It’s bad enough that we have Covid-19, now we have to put up with this. My concern is that we have a municipality and they do absolutely nothing.”
“Now there is damage to the road and infrastructure and they just don’t seem to do anything about it. Everything is getting affected from electricity to railway lines and it is not just the municipality, it is the government as well, they are not looking after what we have. We are the people suffering because of that.”
“The last time I got feedback from the municipality, they said they would work on it in two days’ time. That time has come and gone past six months ago and it is still the same. I don’t know who to turn to anymore. I’m trying to get help from somewhere because this is not good.”
“Someone is going to drive down the road one day and hit either the sewer hole or its cover, get damaged or even die,” he said.
Ward 64 councillor, Gavin Hegter said, “I had the Jetting team there last week, but unfortunately they were not able to clear the line. I have requested that the line be inspected because it is possible that it has collapsed.”
eThekwini Municipality said upon the relevant unit’s investigation, it was found that the leak is from private property.
“The owners have been advised to address the matter as soon as possible,” said spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela.
