R3m down the drain as Soweto sewer project left incomplete

A R3 million sewerage project in Orlando West, Soweto, has been abandoned for months, leaving residents with worsening sewage overflows.

The project, intended to upgrade critical infrastructure and support the area’s booming tourism and business sector, has instead become a major source of frustration.

Residents have been complaining about overflowing sewage since 2010, with the problem worsening as businesses and tourism expanded.

Residents complain about overflowing sewage

The project began in September 2024 and some progress was made between September and November. But work abruptly stopped, leaving the area in a worse state than before.

Chair of the Section 79 finance committee in the City of Joburg, Mpumi Edward, was concern over the growing trend of abandoned infrastructure projects.

“Abandoned and incomplete projects have become a widespread issue in Johannesburg. In some cases, projects are completed but never utilised, leading to vandalism,” she said.

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“As a committee, we are committed to exposing these issues and ensuring residents are informed. These projects are meant to improve service delivery, yet they are failing to benefit communities.

“For instance, here in Orlando West, the ward councillor should be responsible for providing updates as they are involved in appointing service providers for local projects. This highlights the need for better contract management and accountability to ensure projects are completed within their designated timeframes.”

It is understood that the excavation work was expected to take between three and six months to complete, but the large sewer pipes were left abandoned.

Overgrown grass and construction safety nets at site

At the site, overgrown grass and construction safety nets were visible in what was supposed to be an active project site.

Unused pipes meant for underground installation were being used as shelter by homeless people.

Local resident Martin Nhlapo voiced his frustration over the stalled project.

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“No-one seems to care. No answers have been given to the community on what has stalled the project.

“There’s no-one on-site, nothing is happening,” he said.

“People like me, who are directly connected to the main drainage system, suffer the most, as it flows right into our doorstep.”

No clear timeline for sewer project completion

Another resident, Divine Letsie, added: “We are still affected by the sewage and this happens frequently, which shows that the pipes can’t handle the pressure.

“There is still no clear timeline for completion. We are expected to live in deteriorating living conditions, waiting for the City of Joburg to take action.”

Edward also highlighted the financial implications of stalled projects in Johannesburg.

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“When projects are halted, they often require rebudgeting, despite payments having already been made to service providers,” she said.

“This leads to unnecessary financial deviations and wasteful expenditure, particularly on capital expenditure and infrastructure projects.”

The City of Joburg had not responded to questions sent to it concerning the matter by the time of going to print.