BOPHELONG – Families in Ext 14 are reaching a breaking point after living with overflowing sewage for five years.

Collapsed pipes have turned the neighbourhood into a health hazard, with waste gushing from manholes and flooding private gardens. The stench has become so unbearable that some residents have been forced to abandon their homes.

On February 12, dozens of residents were seen using bricks as makeshift stepping stones to navigate the filthy water blocking their driveways. Residents told the paper that children also do the same when they leave for school in the mornings and when they return home.

Speaking to Ster South, Lindiwe Mokoena, who has lived in the area for 15 years, said the community is fed up.

“For five years, we’ve been having these back-and-forth conditions of sewage. We’ve reported the issue with the councillor many times because there are elders and children in this community who can’t brave these conditions,” she said.

According to Mokoena, the councillor has taken members of the community to Metsi-a-lekoa to report the issue. Mokoena explained that while teams are sometimes sent to unblock the drains, the fix never lasts.

“When the drains are unblocked, they take a few weeks, then the gushing starts from scratch. We are given reference numbers when we report, and for months now, the problem hasn’t been resolved,” she added.

The residents said all they want is for their issue to be resolved permanently. Ward 6 Councillor Mthethunzima Time confirmed he is aware of the problem and is working with the community to resolve the matter.

“We are attending to the issue as a matter of urgency. On Tuesday, a contractor was brought in to take measurements of the collapsed sewer pipes in an effort to deal with the issue of gushing sewer. The matter is reported to the municipal manager and is being dealt with,” he said.