“THE raw sewage will kill us before the Coronavirus.”
These were the words of a distressed mother of five who resides in an informal settlement in Motala Heights.
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Angela Coetzee is among many other families who feel deserted. The families spent their Christmas and festive season surrounded by a horrible stench and raw sewage as their ablution facility has been blocked for months.
The residents said they have reported the matter, but have not received any feedback.
The community ablution blocks (CABs) programme was initiated in 2004 by the City to provide communal water and sanitation facilities to un-served informal settlements in the urban and peri-urban areas of eThekwini.
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The CABs programme aims to provide sanitation and water services as well as skills training and job opportunities to the residents of informal settlements.
The Motala Heights ablution block is divided into a male and female section. The female section comprise of four toilets and two showers while the male one has three toilets, two showers and two cubicles.
“There are small children and elderly people in this area. Raw sewage runs the whole day, even in front of people’s doors. How long are we supposed to live like this?” asked another resident, Jenene Fortune.
Fortune said this is a health hazard. “Our children always have sores which don’t seem to heal and we suspect it’s due to the unhygienic conditions surrounding us,” added Fortune.
Apart from enduring the unbearable smell, they are forced to continue using these facilities.
“Even the water we drink, we get from the taps here. We also do our washing in these facilities, what else can we do?” said Coetzee.
“We don’t know who the ward councillor is. No one checks up on us. Most people are unemployed but we never received the food parcels which were handed out to people.
“It’s like we do not exist. We are also human beings who have rights and deserve to live in a clean area,” she said.
DA PR councillor for Ward 15, Marlaine Nair said she has notified officials and have requested for urgent intervention.
Nair said this problem occurred before and was dealt with. “The problem here is that there is an increase in the number of people now living in the informal settlement which gives rise to pressure on the sewer infrastructure and also proper control and accountability within the settlement,” said Nair.
She urged residents to please contact her immediately if they receive no response from the municipality.
Nair also urged residents, who use the ablution facility, to play their part in ensuring the facility is used properly and kept clean at all times.
eThekwini Municipality said they are investigating the problem.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
