A severe sewage crisis at Goudveld-Hoërskool hostel in Welkom has reached catastrophic levels, exposing learners and staff to significant health risks and unsafe living conditions.

The Democratic Alliance will formally petition the Free State Department of Education and intensify oversight of Matjhabeng Local Municipality to address the escalating sewerage crisis that threatens the school’s operations.

An oversight inspection conducted on 26 March by Councillor René Steyn and MPL Jafta Mokoena confirmed the severity of the situation. The visit followed multiple urgent letters from both the school and Lejweleputswa Municipal Health Services, warning of a worsening sewerage crisis.

“What was uncovered on site confirms a complete collapse of municipal sewerage infrastructure,” said Steyn, describing the conditions as unacceptable for any educational institution.

The sewage overflow affecting the hostel originates from a failure in the municipal sewer line along Long Road, which continues to back up into the school’s system. During the inspection, multiple manholes on the hostel premises were overflowing with raw sewage.

Lejweleputswa Municipal Health Services has confirmed that at least nine manholes are affected, creating severe and immediate health risks. Learners are forced to live and eat in conditions where basic sanitation standards have collapsed, with persistent stench permeating the hostel environment.

Structural damage and environmental concerns

The crisis has progressed beyond sanitation issues to threaten the physical infrastructure. Photographic evidence from the site shows sinkholes forming alongside buildings, pools of sewage, and widespread ground saturation. Soil erosion and subsidence from sewerage seepage now threaten the structural integrity of hostel buildings.

The situation represents a full-blown infrastructure collapse rather than a developing problem, with parts of the surrounding Jan Cilliers Park suburb also experiencing blocked drains, sewage backflow, and pooling wastewater.

The crisis constitutes a direct violation of constitutional obligations, including the right to a safe and healthy environment. Despite the school’s formal request for urgent intervention submitted on 11 March, the municipality has failed to respond with meaningful action.

Steyn says educational institutions should not be expected to manage or fund the consequences of failed municipal infrastructure. The deteriorating conditions may force the school to close the hostel to protect learner welfare if immediate intervention does not occur.

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The situation underscores the critical importance of maintaining basic municipal infrastructure to support essential services such as education. Without immediate action, the crisis could force difficult decisions about the hostel’s future operations, potentially disrupting the education of learners who rely on these facilities.

The collapse of the sewerage infrastructure in Matjhabeng affects numerous high and primary schools, includung Unitas Secodary School, The Welkom Technical Hih=gh Scool, St Helena Primary School and Golden Park in Bronville.