DESPITE multiple complaints over a period of almost 20 years to the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality about the stench of sewage from the Cat Canal, residents in the Langa area are still suffering from the smell.
Kenneth Kohl who was the previous councillor for ward 48 said he is very concerned about the current state of the canal.
According to Kohl, the sewage travels from different areas which eventually ends up in the Cat Canal before it enters the Swartkops River.
“There is a terrible smell that comes out from the canal and it is a major health risk,” said Kohl.
He further said the infrastructure of the canal was built many years ago and it needed to be maintained.
Kohl said since Uitenhage has formed part of the NMBM the canal has not been maintained.
“I am very disappointed in our municipal officials who have to maintain our infrastructure but do not pay attention to it.
“Since we formed part of the NMBM the situation has gotten worse and the canal has not been cleaned in years.
“I cannot accept that such health risks are capturing our communities,” said Kohl.
He has written to the Department of Water and Sanitation and a full report of the canal was conducted in 2013, but no maintenance plan has been put in place by the municipality since then.
Kohl said each year there are IDP submissions but there is no budget given for essential services in the town and if there is a budget, it is implemented years later or not at all.
“We are thankful for the fencing around the canal, but the maintenance of the canal is more important. The municipality has been relying on rainwater to clean the canal when instead they should appoint a contractor based in Uitenhage to maintain it on a regular basis,” said Kohl.
He further said the community members are furious and fed up with the service they have been receiving in Uitenhage and would prefer the town to have its own municipality again with its own staff to take care of the town.
“Give Uitenhage back to the people so that our officials can compile their own budgets and plans for service delivery,” said Kohl.
According to municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki, the canal has been cleaned from the railway side closer to town.
Residents use canal as dumping site
He further said in other areas cleaners were stopped by community members and councillors in ward 42, 44, 48 and 50 are aware of this.
“The cleaning of the canal is ongoing and done yearly,” said Mniki.
He said means are made through Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) to clean the canal, even in areas where the cleaners were chased off-site because of community members demanding work.
“Future plans are to accommodate the canals within the EPWP. A 15-day programme started on December 12,” said Mniki.
He said it must be noted that the canal is basically there to collect stormwater run-off to the river, but this has changed and is used as a dumping site.
“We do our best to clean it, but something needs to be done to accommodate the solid waste dumped along this canal,” said Mniki.
