Jukskei Park residents engulfed by ‘overpowering’ stench after recent floods

Residents of Jukskei Park, north of Johannesburg, say their houses are engulfed by a sewage stench from the nearby river.

The irate residents are demanding action from the City of Joburg authorities to stop the sewage spill, which has worsened since recent heavy storms in the area. Recently, the entire area experienced flooding that caused the river to burst its banks, overflowing into the backyards of many residents’ houses situated along the Klein Jukskei River.

The stench is thought to be caused by blocked pipes and manholes, as well as the sewage-contaminated water flowing into the river at various points along its course.

Adrienna Naidoo, a resident in Robyn Street, Jukskei Park, is one of those affected. “This problem is occurring throughout the river, but it’s particularly concentrated in our area. We can’t open our windows during the day or at night because the smell is coming in. When we cook, our food gets contaminated, which is unhealthy for us.

“This stench is disgusting, it’s overpowering, it’s absolutely unacceptable. We try to clean our area, but it does not work because the stench remains in the air forever,” said Naidoo, who has been a resident in Juskei Park for 12 years.

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Another resident, Kyle Woodward, said an influx of flies has come with the stench. “When you put food or meat outside and you want to braai, the next thing it’s full of flies that lay eggs on the whole thing,” Woodward said.

He blamed it on clogged pipes and leakages in the system, resulting in contaminated water overflowing into the river.

“The sewage comes from pipes that flow into the river… We can’t even be outside it’s so bad, but [the City of Johannesburg has] done nothing about it,” he said.

Both Woodward and Naidoo stated that the problem had been reported to the municipality multiple times since last year, but no action had been taken.

DA Ward 106 councillor Chris Montana said the problem had been reported to him by some residents. He, in turn, reported the issue to the Joburg Water, which had not responded yet. Montana said he took the matter to the Councillors Forum, where it was also discussed, but he would follow up with Joburg Water.

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