Sewage leaking on Fochville sidewalk

Residents of Fochville complain that they are not getting help from the Merafong City Local Municipality to deal with an ongoing sewage leak.

Motorists driving down Loopspruit Avenue in the direction of Greenspark cannot help but notice sewage streaming from the sidewalk down the road opposite Master Drilling.

Although the sewage leaks from a manhole a bit higher up the street, it flows on the side of the street up to a storm water drain at the corner of Potchefstroom Street.

“We have been reporting this to the municipality every day since June 18 this year. Sometimes people from the municipality comes here to unblock the drain, but it is blocked again by lunchtime,” complains Poppy Maxolo, an employee of the business Makopane Distributers that is situated next to which the overflowing manhole.

Maxolo also showed the Herald some of the various complaints that were sent to the municipal call centre, as well as the reference number given by the municipality.

Various other passers-by also commented on how unpleasant the stinking sewage on the sidewalk is.

According to Maxolo, the sewage also holds a health risk as their business deals with food.

“The sewer spillage next to no.7 was investigated and discovered that there is an
object obstructing the sewer flow. The area will be excavated within this week and be
repaired,” said the municipality’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Temba Fezani, when asked about the matter.