Hawkers irate about water
The unattended pipe had even caused the hawkers to push towards the streets, making it difficult for their customers to move around them.
MBOMBELA – Many parts of this municipality suffer a shortage of water yet surprisingly, a leaking drainage system in town, had been left unattended for nearly two months
Hawkers near the bus rank opposite Ekukhanyeni Centre, had been exposed to this unpleasant smell at their place of work. It was allegedly left open by officials of Sembcorp Silulumanzi who came to attend to it in September.
“They came and opened it and left it without explaining anything to us. Water had been flowing since, and had become stagnant and smelly.
“It has become a breeding place for mosquitoes and flies.
“Our wooden crates and tables are damaged and we no longer have enough space to display our products,” said Mr David Nkosi, a member of Nelspruit Hawkers’ Association.
“Instead of allowing water which is a scarce resource to flow into the drainage like this, why can’t they make us a tap here? We drink water from the bus rank’s toilets,” he said.
The unattended pipe had even caused the hawkers to push towards the streets, making it difficult for their customers to move around them.
Nkosi said the association had reported the matter to the municipality and were told that they would send officials from Sembcorp Silulumanzi to attend to it, but nobody had shown up.
“We were at the municipal offices last Friday and they haven’t kept their promises. We are sad and it seems as if the government doesn’t care. We can’t close this on our own because we don’t know how deep the pipe is,” he said.
Attempts to obtain comment from Mbombela’s municipal spokesman,Mr Joseph Ngala were fruitless.
Sembcorp Silulumanzi’s spokesman,Mr Richmond Jele told Mpumalanga News on November 11 that his office was not aware of the matter and would immediately send someone to investigate.
“I am not aware of this matter because we rely on information we receive from members of the public. We don’t fix internal links, we fix public lines,” he said.
He thanked this newspaper for calling him on this matter.
On Tuesday Jele called again to report that standby officials had been sent to the scene and found that a valve was leaking. He repeated that his office had not been aware of the matter and urged members of the public to call the company on 0861-745-858 for assistance.
