Relentless swarms of a biting insect species are plaguing communities in Strand and frustrated residents are itching to raise concerns over the problem which has been labelled as yet another symptom of the overgrown, stagnant Soet River canal and its appalling state.
Turning to DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette to bemoan a mosquito plague which is making summer days and nights unbearable, is Noorul Smith, who out of desperation is calling on council to better address the problem by prioritising regular clean-ups of the canal and monitoring the tributary’s state. “Residents of the Weltevreden residential areas have been complaining about the ongoing problem without resolve or remedial action,” said Smith.
“Apart from the foul stench and litter-ridden canal, we are forced to close our windows around 16:00 daily to prevent mosquitoes from entering our homes and pestering us throughout the night.”
Fellow resident Fatima Noor said amid the problem residents have been battling sleepless and restless nights. “Never before did we have this problem,” she said.
“If you drive past the canal at sunset, you will see dark clouds of mosquito swarms above the stagnant water in the canal. The mosquitoes seem to be immune to any preventative measures we take. Pensioners are forking out grocery money for insect repellant.”
Fellow resident Sedick Crombie said residents living in areas bordered by Hammond, Nolte and Oosterlig streets, extending from Fifth Street in Rusthof and beyond, are extremely frustrated and annoyed by the unacceptable situation due to the state of the canal and the associated problems.
“The canal and its catchment area are neglected and mismanaged, resulting in numerous issues that significantly inconvenience neighbourhoods. The City of Cape Town bears the sole responsibility and authority for the management of the canal and its surrounding areas. Council’s mismanagement has led to severe consequences for the local community,” he said.
Among the issues residents endure, as detailed by Crombie, are the overwhelming and unbearable foul stench emanating from the canal, which prevents them from opening their windows during hot summer days, and stagnant water, primarily due to the lack of canal cleaning and removal of overgrown reeds.
Crombie explained that the stagnant water creates a breeding ground for pests like mosquitoes, which, in addition to causing frustration, has resulted in sleep deprivation for many residents.
“The stench and mosquito infestation pose significant health hazards, which, despite our persistent service requests to council, remain unresolved. Our area is progressively degrading due to these issues and other factors, including the lack of law enforcement presence, poorly maintained drainage systems, and frequent sewage overflows that persist for days without adequate response from the responsible authorities.”
Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee member for Water and Sanitation, said the build-up of solid waste and sludge in the river contributes to blockages, resulting in stagnant water that is also responsible for the mosquito problem and foul smells.
For context, Badroodien stated that the Soet River and its tributaries run through informal settlements of Nomzamo, Pholile Park and Masakhane where the majority of littering occurs. The waste emanating from these areas end up in the rivers and streams and, while attempts are made to remove the solid waste, a lot ends up flowing down the river.
“To bolster its existing cleaning interventions, the City has collated the Soet River Pollution Abatement Strategy and Action Plan (Pasap), which outlines multipronged efforts to help tackle chronic waste in a section of the river flowing through Lwandle and Nomzamo. Due to ongoing illegal dumping, this section of the river unfortunately remains filled with solid waste despite cleaning interventions by the City,” said Badroodien.
He added that planned pollution interventions includes education, improved waste disposal, increased cleanups, illegal dumping monitoring, bioremediation, appointing river wardens, and toilet relocation.
In addition to regular cleaning and maintenance, as guided by Pasap, the City plans to invest in the installation of litter interceptors in the river to capture waste and debris before it reaches the ocean.
Badroodien also noted that the Soet River Catchment Management Forum (SRCMF), established last year, serves as an interactive multi-stakeholder team aimed at tackling the pollution in the river and improve its water quality. “We encourage the local community to get involved by attending forum meetings and becoming part of the change that we all want to see along the Soet River,” he urged.
Badroodien further encouraged residents to log service requests via the City’s website or the call centre on 0860 103 089.
Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee member for Community Services and Health, said the department takes note of the residents’ complaints and are busy investigating. “Due to seasonal changes there is an increase in mosquitoes within the entire city,” she added.
“The City’s Environmental Health Pesticide Controls are currently not suitable for aquatic applications. Nature Conservation and Environmental Management must be consulted when environmentally sensitive areas are involved.”
