Schools remain sewage-logged

No respite as worsening health crisis drags on

The ongoing sewage problem at two of Welkom’s most prominent schools has reached critical proportions.

During this past weekend of 8 to 10 August sewerage again pushed up into the schoolgrounds, causing distress and renewed problems. There is no solution in sight, say the beleuguered schools.

Vista has been consistently highlighting the never-ending sewage problems at the Welkom Technical High School (THS) and Unitas Secondary School.

In June, Vista wrote that the Unitas Secondary School in Welkom has been continually flooded with raw sewage for the past four years. The same situation exists at the neighbouring THS.

At Unitas, the situation is so bad that the buildings are starting to crack and deteriorate. The school’s basement is flooded with more than 80 000 litres of wastewater. Vista previously wrote that this situation looks like a sewage swimming pool.

In May, Vista reported about the conditions at the THS.

Since February, the school has been struggling with severe sewage flooding, causing disruption at its hostel facilities and on the sports fields and endangering the learners’ health. Two of the school’s rugby fields are under sewage, and the children can only practice on the C-field, next to the sewage.

The school’s home matches can also only take place on this field, with this situation having been reported to the provincial department of education. A representative visited the school and took videos and photos. She was supposed to report it to the municipality; nothing has come of this yet.

Tshediso Tlali, spokesperson for the executive mayor of Matjhabeng, Thanduxolo Khalipha, says that during the handover of the Old Traffic Pump Station, the executive mayor urged the infrastructure department to urgently address the issue affecting both schools.

“This highlights the serious health risks it poses to learners and staff. To resolve this matter, the municipality is working in collaboration with Vaal Central Water, the implementing agent for the Ministerial Intervention Programme on sewer infrastructure in Matjhabeng.

“A detailed assessment of the sewer line is currently underway using CCTV technology to detect the root cause of the problem. While the technical team awaits the outcome of this assessment to implement a permanent solution, pumps have been deployed on-site as an interim measure to manage and alleviate the situation,” says Tlali.

Sunette Jooste of local law firm Sunette Jooste Incorporated, says things are not much better for businesses.

Jooste says the ongoing raw sewage problem at Stateway Chambers has persisted without resolution for over three to four weeks.

“Many of my clients are elderly, and must climb stairs to the third floor to reach my office. Them having to walk through sewage before reaching these stairs is not only undignified, but dangerous, as the conditions increase the risk of slips, respiratory issues, and infections.

“As a tenant, I am personally affected. I suffer from a diagnosed autoimmune disease, and prolonged exposure to such unsanitary conditions further compromises my health and well-being. This situation is unacceptable.”