Home owner livid after municipality connects pipes in her yard without permission in Davel

Ms Nomonde Dladla from KwaDela in Davel is livid after Msukaligwa Municipality workers allegedly dug a trench to connect a pipeline in her yard in 2017, without her permission.

This, according to Ms Dladla, is the reason she fears that her house is on the verge of collapse because a big hole that is constantly filled with water, she has no idea where it comes from, has appeared underneath the corner of her house.

Ms Dladla has constantly fought with the municipality regarding the matter, to no avail.

She recounted her experience to the Highvelder, and recalls that she was on her way back from work, when she suddenly noticed that the fence that surrounds her house has been tampered with, in that it has shifted and she could see underneath the fence that a trench had been dug and closed.

After lengthy consultations with her neighbours, she was told that a certain man who bought a plot in her neighbourhood in Davel, was responsible for hiring municipal plumbers, who dug and joined the pipes.

Ms Dladla then spoke to the alleged municipal workers and they agreed to remove the pipe and close the trench, which they did.

At the time, Ms Dladla was a security worker in Secunda and only came back to her house during the weekends.

To her surprise, she was told by her neighbours weeks later, that the alleged municipal workers were once again spotted digging and installing pipes in her yard.

This prompted her to consult a councillor in the area to voice her frustrations regarding the issue.

The councillor then allegedly came to her house and was in agreement with Ms Dladla that what the municipal workers have done, was indeed illegal.

Ms Dladla and the councillor told the municipal workers to remove the pipe, however, they were reluctant to do so because, according to them, the pipe was leaking and was the cause for a large portion of Ms Dladla’s yard to be always damped, even in hot conditions.

After no way forward in the matter, Ms Dladla approached Mr Nhlanhla Manana, the municipal worker’s supervisor, to report the issue and he promised her he will consult with his workers so the matter will be resolved.

According to the municipal workers, the pipe was removed, however, Ms Dladla still believes the pipe is in her yard as she was not there when they allegedly removed it.

“I believe the pipe is still there because a big hole has suddenly appeared underneath a corner of my house last year and cracks are beginning to show in the wall,” Ms Dladla said.

She further added she has tried on numerous occasions in the past two years to talk to the councillor and Mr Manana.

Ms Dladla escalated the matter and reported it to the Msukaligwa offices in Ermelo, appealing to the Speaker to intervene, to no avail.

When the newspaper inquired at Msukaligwa Municipality, the Technical Planing Division at the municipality said they will investigate the matter.