The Ekurhuleni metro has finally stepped up to resolve the issues at the sewerage disposal site by hiring security personnel to monitor and ensure that contractors are complying with the rules when discharging the collected faeces from informal settlements across Boksburg and Germiston.
The site, which is situated along Lower Boksburg Road, a few blocks away from the residential houses in Delmore Park, caused bitter frustration for residents who complained about an unbearable smell of faeces coming from the nearby site.
Residents accused local contractors who use the site of negligence when discharging the faeces at the site.
When the Advertiser visited the site on September 9 the site was an eyesore with sewer spillage outside the designated platform manhole.
One of the residents, Jemi Basson, claimed she has witnessed some of the trucks offloading the waste outside the manhole instead of inside, causing a sewerage spillage.
Taking action against this matter, Ward 33 councillor Ashley Hoods escalated the matter to the metro’s water and sanitation department.
On September 11, Hoods met with the officials from the metro as well as some of the contractors at the disposal site to observe the state of the site and to see how the process was being carried out by contractors.
Hoods said after the site visit it was found that the contractors failed to discharge the waste and sewer in a responsible and compliant manner.
“The department mentioned that they will take corrective steps to ensure stricter compliance. The department further stated that if contractors didn’t comply it would be forced to close and alternative arrangement would have to be made,” Hoods said.
The Advertiser again visited the site on November 3 and observed that the site was now being supervised by two security personnel from Red Ants Security, and it looked and smelled much better than before.
A blue-ish chemical was seen splashed on top of the platform manhole to eliminate the bad smell. A yellow pipe was also seen inside the manhole which is now used by the contractors when discharging the faeces.
One of the security guards indicated that they monitor the place from morning till 5pm, adding that contractors now sign when they discharge the waste.
Hoods said he was happy that the water and sanitation department implemented the measures it committed in their meeting.
He added that he will continue to monitor the site to see if the rules are still being followed.
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