A concerned resident of Zone 14 informal settlement in Makhaza is appealing to the City to fix the drainage system in the area problem rapidly and permanently.
He said he was concerned about the health and well-being of residents of the area, with all the sewage flowing in the streets.
Lumkile Sizila described the conditions of the area as terrible.
He said some people had to put seal the bottoms of their shacks to prevent the sewage from coming in.
“There are two drains giving us problems at Philemon Mahlakola Street. It’s been years since these drains did this. The City fixed it today, and the following day it burst again. In this week, from Sunday 15 until Tuesday 17 September they have been fixed three times.”
Sizila said the sewage came with an unbearable stench. Ward 95 councillor Ayanda Tetani said he was aware of the mess and had already informed City officials.
“I can’t tell you what is really happening here with these drains,” he said. “There are two drains in one street. When the City fixes one drain another starts leaking.”
Tetani said the problem has persisted since shack dwellers started occupying the nearby pond area about four years ago.
“I suspect that the establishment of the Zone 15 informal settlement in the pond has had an impact on these drains, which burst because stormwater from the drains are no longer able to flow into the pond,” he said.
