Elderly residents of Nancefield Retirement Village have raised concerns about a severe sewer spillage creating a health hazard at the old age home on Wistaria Street, Ext 3, Eldorado Park.

The manhole causing the spillage is located outside the facility; however, wastewater flows into the village, affecting internal pipes and leading to sewage overflow, including into toilets.

The surrounding grass is overgrown and soaked with foul-smelling water, making it difficult for residents to maintain their yards or move around safely.

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Repeated attempts to report the issue have reportedly yielded no results. Felicity Loforte (62), who lives with her husband, Frederaco Loforte, said conditions have become unbearable.

“It’s been about a month now, and the situation is very bad,” she said. “We are pensioners. We try to maintain our own units and even pay for services like grass cutting, but nothing is being done about this sewage problem.”

She said the persistent stench has disrupted daily life. “We can’t open our windows or sit outside, and people are getting sick. Some residents are too afraid to stay because of the smell.” Loforte added that their efforts to get assistance have been unsuccessful. “We are spending money just trying to get help, but no one comes back to us.

Many of us are elderly and chronically ill. Something needs to be done urgently.” Frida Jacobs (74) echoed similar concerns, saying the situation has affected both her health and sense of safety.

“The smell is very bad and the water comes through, especially when it rains. That is why I am so sick. I am not feeling well because of this situation,” she said.

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“When the water comes in at the back, I get scared. My neighbours have to come and help me.” She appealed for urgent intervention, adding that the situation has become unbearable.

“This is not a good way to live. I would even ask to be moved because the situation is too much.” Sylvia Zacharias said a lack of maintenance has left her living in extremely poor conditions. Her home has developed mould on the walls and ceiling.

“I am living under terrible circumstances. My yard is like a ditch, and my husband had to put paving down just so we can move around,” she said.

Zacharias added that the conditions have also affected her health.

“I was recently in the hospital with double pneumonia. There is damp and mould inside the house, and everyone is coughing. It’s not a healthy environment.”

She said maintenance concerns at her unit remain unresolved despite being reported. “Nothing gets fixed in my house. We even had to install our own geyser because no one came to assist us,” she said.

Alberts Freidas (70) said the conditions have forced him to spend most of his day away from home.

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“I leave early in the morning and only come back late at night because I can’t stay here with the smell,” he said.

“I can’t even clean around my house because the smell is too strong. It gives me headaches, and that’s something I never used to experience.” Ward 17 Clr Juwairiya Kaldine said she was not aware of the issue prior to it being escalated publicly and expressed concern that proper reporting channels were not followed.

“The correct process is for residents or the committee to report issues directly to the councillor or housing officials so that a reference number can be logged and the matter escalated,” she said. Kaldine explained that, as the village is council-owned, service requests must be coordinated through the relevant departments.

“Entities like Joburg Water will not attend to the problem without a formal reference logged through the correct channels,” she added.

She urged residents to work with her office to resolve the matter instead of politicising service delivery issues.

“I am available to assist, but residents must report issues through the proper structures so we can ensure a quicker response,” she said. Regarding the uncut grass, Kaldine said heavy rains over the past few months have caused rapid growth.

“Grass cutting is done on a set schedule based on budget, usually every three months, and unfortunately, it grows back quickly.

“The responsibility also lies with the Department of Housing, which must arrange maintenance through the relevant departments,” she said.

Kaldine added that she remains committed to addressing the problem and has called for cooperation from residents to avoid delays in service delivery. Soweto Urban contacted the office of the MMC for Human Settlement. The response will be published once it’s made available.