RECURRING blockages in Cherry Road in Clairwood is attributed to improper disposal of materials into the sewer system. This follows numerous complaints raised by the community relating to ongoing sewerage blockages along the road.

eThekwini Municipality said the recurring blockages within the sewer network lead to overflows at nearby manholes, which act as relief points in the system.

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eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said these blockages occur when the flow in sewer pipelines is restricted, forcing wastewater to overflow from the nearest manhole.

The municipality highlighted the following contributing factors

• Disposal of foreign objects into the sewer system
• Silt build-up and solid waste entering pipelines
• Misuse and abuse of sewer infrastructure
• Illegal connections to the sewer and stormwater systems
• Illegal dumping
• Damaged or missing manhole covers

Sisilana emphasised that these challenges are not unique to Cherry Road and affect several areas within the broader precinct.

“The municipality acknowledges that improper disposal of materials into the sewer system is one of several causes, but emphasises that infrastructure damage and illegal activities also significantly contribute to the problem. The City continues to engage communities through relevant Directorates to raise awareness on responsible sewer usage and to address illegal dumping and connections,” said Sisilana.

Regarding concerns about the quality of investigations, the City confirmed that multiple interventions have been carried out in recent weeks.

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These include

• Site inspections by technical teams
• Superintendent visits and assessments
• Ongoing work by blockage-clearing teams

Sisilana added: “Despite these efforts, blockages continue to recur due to the underlying issues outlined above. The municipality also confirms that an operational (Opex) budget is allocated annually to manage sewage and wastewater-related issues across eThekwini. While this budget supports responses to reported faults, additional funding is needed to address ageing infrastructure and persistent challenges more comprehensively.”

She said Clairwood, like all areas within eThekwini, is serviced through the Wastewater Network (WWN) Opex budget.

“All reported faults are attended to, and matters requiring long-term infrastructure upgrades are escalated through the appropriate capital expenditure processes,” she added.

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