Association tackles sewage issues on The Bluff
Residents are tired of living with the stench and feeling like prisoners in their homes.
ON a mission to tackle the sewage overflow issues that have plagued The Bluff community, The Bluff Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (BRRA) have made great progress in their endeavours.
Norman Gilbert, BRRA’s chairperson, said the sewage overflow issue would remain a major concern unless proper investigations were done to find out the root cause of the problem.
“While we don’t have an issue of getting a response from the City’s departments, who will come out and clean the lines when blocked, that is only a temporary solution as the sewage overflow starts up again within a day or two. The City needs to realise that their ‘Band-Aid’ approach is not acceptable anymore,” he said.
Also read: WATCH: Raw sewage overflow on The Bluff sparks frustration
Gilbert said that one of the greatest concerns was the psychological impact on residents.
“I have also been informed by residents wanting to sell up that they had to pull their properties off the market. Some have had potential buyers literally jump out of their cars, smell the sewage and jump back in and leave. Now, you can understand why residents want to boycott the rates as they feel, why should they pay when the City is not doing anything for them?” he said.
Allison Schoeman, BRRA’s vice-chairperson, said a meeting was held with the city’s mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, to discuss their concerns at the Durban City Hall on November 7.
“The mayor eventually honoured a meeting with the community representatives. However, his presentation during the meeting was perceived as being out of touch with the real issues faced by the city.
“The mayor’s current focus is on initiating new projects to attract tourists. However, this approach is criticised as being misguided as the pressing need is to address the existing infrastructure failures, crime levels and [lack of] cleanliness of the city. The community emphasises that tourists seek a clean and healthy environment, which the city currently lacks,” she said.
Schoeman added that there was positive development regarding the sewage overflow issue in Armstrong Road on The Bluff.
Also read: Sewage stink suffocates Treasure Beach residents
“The City has given approval for CCTV cameras to identify problems in the area. This is seen as a step forward.
“We would also like to give recognition and show appreciation for the efforts of the eThekwini Municipality staff, who are trying their best to service the community. However, these efforts are hampered by severely constrained resources and poor management by the City leaders.
“Overall, while there is some acknowledgement of progress in specific areas, the overarching sentiment is that the City leadership, particularly the mayor, need to realign their priorities to address the fundamental issues affecting the city’s livability and attractiveness to tourists. The statement calls for a more grounded and realistic approach from the mayor to tackle the pressing problems faced by the city and its residents,” she said.
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