Businesses at the end of Liter Street in Industria, opposite the Klein Olifants River, have been left to suffer continuous sewage leaks, copious illegal dumping, and a general lack of upkeep from the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM).
Despite numerous complaints, the municipality’s apathy toward the situation has led these frustrated companies to take matters into their own hands.
As previously reported by the Middelburg Observer last month, a sewage spill left a large portion of the street submerged in wastewater, much to the disgust of business owners, employees, and clientele.
To prevent this sort of disaster from happening again, a waterway has been strategically dug for the wastewater to no longer pool in the street. This was done privately, without the requested assistance from STLM.
However, these efforts have not stopped the sewage from continuing to spill. The most recent spillage began on Monday, February 24, and is still continuing as of this morning, March 6.
Potholes on this end of the street are also routinely filled by business owners rather than the municipality.
You can watch the continued re-emergence of the sewage leak here:
@middelburgobserver Sewage and illegal dumping woes persist in Liter Street.
Koos Botha, a businessman in the area, told the Middelburg Observer that he has had enough and that the situation is ‘unacceptable’.
He said he has filed numerous complaints for months with little to no response, leading Botha to seek the help of councillors and the paper.
Regarding the sewage spill, Botha was told it was due to businesses illegally connecting their drain pipes to the sewer line. Yet, there has been no investigation into stopping the issue.
He also noted that the sewage often overflows and supposedly runs directly into the nearby Klein Olifants River, polluting it heavily during this process.
In the previous Observer report, many other issues raised about Industria were addressed by the municipality, except for those found at this section of Liter Street.
When entering this area, there is a clear dividing line on the corner. Before this point, the fields between Liter and Cowen Ntuli streets are neat and well-kept.
After this point, the field is unruly, overgrown, and neglected.
Because of this, the field has been a haven for illegal dumping, where people throw away everything from trash to scrap.
There is even a trailer of a truck left standing there since at least May 2023, with the object visible in a Google Maps image taken at that date.
• The Middelburg Observer reached out to STLM for comment, but they did not respond in time for publication.
