ALBERTON – The Barnado family has lived in their home in Eekhoring Street, Albertsdal, for seven months, with their windows and doors shut because of the filth that flows through their backyard.
Ruan Barnado, who works mainly from home, says that the drain overflows, at a conservative estimate, once every four to six weeks. The problem is reportedly exacerbated when many people are home.
“My neighbours have the same type of drain, which also overflows periodically,” explained Loretta Barnardo-Katergarakis.
”The result is that our entire garden, back, front and sides, is a cesspit of human excrement, with the most foul and nauseating stench; we don’t dare step outside our home or open any windows or doors.
”We also specifically petitioned our municipality to see if any of the decision-makers would be prepared to live in such horrendous conditions.
”They simply ignore our desperate calls and say they will send somebody when they come round to it and we are given a reference number to console us. When and if they eventually arrive, they don’t have chemicals to clean up the area.”
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) spokesperson Themba Gadebe stated: “This is the third complaint at this address during the last four years.
“We could not attend to the complaint as we could not access the property. We phoned the complainant on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 24, and were able to gain entry.
”The blockage was opened on Tuesday night.
”To attend to blockages, technicians need access to the sewer system which is, in most cases, located at the back of stands. The blockages are often caused by roots from trees entering the sewer system. The midblock sewers are in registered servitudes and no trees are allowed on the normal 2m servitudes.”
