KARIEGA – Residents and businesses in Jeffrey Street and Lower Market Street, Central Kariega, continue to grapple with an ongoing sewage overflow that has allegedly persisted for several weeks, raising concerns about public health and sanitation in the area.

The overflowing sewage has reportedly flooded sections of the street and nearby properties, while food vendors operating in the vicinity have expressed fears about contamination of produce exposed to the polluted water.

Speaking to UD Express, resident Zolile Kalani said that the matter had persisted since the heavy floods of May.

“When the sewage overflows from the manhole cover on the street behind me, the water floods my neighbour’s home and the sewage water seeps into my yard too. When I am in the kitchen, I can smell the foul smell. When I walk out of the house, I can smell it. When I open the windows, I can smell it,” he said.

Kalani added that assurances that the situation would be rectified had not been met, and called upon the municipality to fix the cause rather than the reactive measures they had allegedly taken.

“When it is flooded here, and also because of the full stormwater drains, the municipality comes to suck the water days after and spray the road with Madubula Household Disinfectant to also mask the smell,” he said.

I have grandchildren who live with me. They cannot play freely in their yard or in the street because it is often flooded but it is not sanitary for them to do so now.

Kalani alleged that he had reported the matter numerous times and had requested his ward councillor to escalate the matter.

Ward 48 councillor Franay van de Linde said she was first alerted to the sewage blockage by Reverend Zolile Kalani on 5 June. According to Van de Linde, “the matter was immediately escalated to the municipal official responsible for sewer-related issues in Kariega, and my office has continued to follow up on the complaint.”

She also shared correspondence indicating that reports regarding blocked sewer drains at the corner of Market, Len Basson and Jeffrey streets had been repeatedly referred to the responsible official.

“The area experiences recurring sewer blockages because some business operators allegedly dispose of vegetable peels and other waste into sewer and stormwater drains,” she said. “Municipal officials are making efforts to address the problem despite limited resources and staffing constraints.”

Van de Linde added that the municipality currently does not have an excavation machine stationed in Kariega, which has delayed repairs where underground sewer pipes require excavation.

“Several similar cases requiring excavation have remained unresolved for more than a month. Communication regarding the matter had been maintained with Kalani, who had raised concerns that residents were unable to use their toilets owing to the sewer blockages affecting the area.”

In response, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said the NMBM is aware of the sewer overflow reported in Lower Market Street, Kariega.

“The matter was reported to the Municipality on 6 June and was subsequently attended to by the relevant supervisor, who conducted a site inspection and implemented corrective measures on Wednesday, 10 June. The Municipality has established that the recurring sewer overflow is primarily caused by significant stormwater ingress into the sewer network following the recent periods of heavy rainfall experienced across the Metro.”

Soyaya added that the excessive volume of stormwater entering the sewer system causes the line to surcharge, resulting in overflows that can continue for several days after rainfall events have subsided. “The recurring nature of the problem is therefore directly linked to the ongoing and periodic rainfall conditions.”

While municipal teams allegedly continue to monitor the affected area and respond to reported incidents, “the extent of the stormwater ingress limits the effectiveness of immediate interventions while the sewer system remains surcharged. In many instances, municipal personnel are required to wait for water levels within the network to subside before additional remedial work can be undertaken,” Soyaya said.

He added, “The Municipality acknowledges the inconvenience experienced by residents and remains committed to addressing reported sewer-related incidents as swiftly as possible. Depot teams continue to conduct inspections when complaints are received and undertake cleaning and other necessary remedial actions once conditions permit.”

The NMBM said that it would continue to monitor the situation and implement appropriate interventions aimed at reducing the impact of stormwater ingress on the sewer network.

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