Gugulethu residents whose homes have been swamped by sewage for almost a week have pleaded with the City to fix the problem.
The sewage spilling from manholes in the vicinity of NY 21 Jabulani Miya Street has created unbearable living conditions, say residents, but it doesn’t look like their calls for help will be answered anytime soon.
“The City’s water and sanitation teams have temporarily withdrawn from servicing the Philippi, Crossroads, Nyanga and Gugulethu areas due to the ongoing taxi unrest,” said mayoral committee member for water and sanitation Zahid Badroodien in response to questions from Vukani.
Xoliswa Mpama, 67, who lives with her sick child in the area, said the sewage spill had first been reported on Thursday September 2, the day it started.
“We have reference numbers, but I can safely say no one has ever come to fix this. We have tried even our councillor for assistance, but it seems no one cares. We are floating in shit. Raw sewage is all over the place. We ask for help,” she said.
Sewage was spilling into homes when Vukani visited the area, and residents were using crates and boxes to make paths to their homes through the stinking deluge.
The Mbilane family were trying to prepare for a funeral but said the overflow meant there was no space to perform the required rituals.
“It seems we will be forced to ask for a space somewhere for us to be able to bury,” said Mluleki Mbilane. “This is truly a delay. We hope that our pleas can be heard as soon as possible.”
Residents are also worried that the sewage spill will make their children sick, and Mr Mbilane said it was hard enough for parents to keep their children indoors, but the sewage was also running into the homes.
“As you have seen, we are not talking about one house here but the whole street,” he said. “How then do you stop children from going out and playing? There are young ones that just want to play in the water not knowing the danger they are putting themselves in. If this thing is not sorted out soon, we will face more challenges than we anticipated.”
Ward councillor Lindile Sonyoka said he had contacted the City about the sewage spill and they had promised to attend it but could not do so presently because of the taxi-related unrest in the area.
