WATCH: Sewer subjects South Crest homeowner with weeks of unbearable stench
Foreign objects thrown into the sewer system cause most sewer overflows, says the city’s spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini.
Behind Zeeman Street in South Crest, a family who has been in the area for just three years has an unpleasant experience that has their health compromised for weeks.
They have to endure a nauseatingly unbearable stench due to a blocked overflowing sewer, which is spilling for weeks about a metre or two from his back wall.
South Crest homeowner Jaco Prins said he had to keep his windows closed to avoid the awful smell.
“This was not the first time to have experienced such an unpleasant condition, but it was the longest. Izak Berg helped a lot in the past, but for the past five weeks, everybody tried their best, but nothing happened. There are more sewage lines which are overflowing in the area.”
Leopold Dussing of the South Crest Residents Association (SCRA) said this was a mainline sewage system, which could only be opened by a jet-blasting truck.
“The jet-blasting trucks are only in Germiston. We have requested assistance from local councillors and their hands are tied because there is not much they can do about it. They escalated the issue to the MMC and it seems we are sitting on the wrong side of the highway. This is just another disaster,” he explained.
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He described the situation as a total disgrace, an unhygienic set-up and one which cannot be tolerated.
Zweli Dlamini, the City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson, said the blockage was first reported on February 27. The blockage reoccurred and was finally opened on March 10.
“The cause of the blockage was foreign objects, like rags in the system. Various consumers reported the first overflow at Humphries on February 21 and we opened it on February 25. After that, it reoccurred and we gave instructions to the contractor to excavate to remove foreign objects stuck into the pipe, preventing us from unblocking it,” he said.
On March 13, Dlamini said a team from the contractor was on site excavating and removing the foreign objects.
The residents who throw foreign objects into the sewer system are causing most sewer overflows.
“Consumers should take note the sewer system is designed for grey- and black water and toilet paper. Foreign objects like rags, hard paper, garden refuse, plastics, sand and many more examples should not be tossed into the system,” he explained.
