Khabazela Village sewage leak a major health hazard
The waste water has now begun to pool at the stormwater drain and almost covers the width of the road prompting health concerns for residents and schoolchildren who use the road on a daily basis.
RESIDENTS of Khabazela Village say they are at their wit’s end in trying to get the eThekwini Municipality to attend to two sewage leaks plaguing their community.
One of the leaks situated on Ganyaza Road as you enter the area has been flowing into one of the stormwater drains for more than a month. The waste water has now begun to pool at the stormwater drain and almost covers the width of the road prompting health concerns for residents and schoolchildren who use the road on a daily basis.
Chairperson of the community of Khabazela Village, Dumile Magaqa said the malodorous smell is also particularly severe.
“I reported the leak more than a month ago to the City. The cement around one of the sewer pipes had actually been damaged due to the pressure being built by the sewage. The flow has been continually running down Ganyaza Road now and everyone is concerned for their health because of the smell and the fact that the waste water covers the width of the road into our community.
“School children and pedestrians have to be careful walking on the pavement as a car driving through the sewage causes the waste water to spray in the air. The smell is difficult to ignore and residents homes closest to the leak say they are affected in their daily chores by it. We would like the municipality to intervene because we cannot live under conditions like this,” Magaqa said.
Another sewage leak, situated at the other end of the suburb, is flowing into a tributary running under Queen Nandi Drive.
Ward councillor for the area, Pete Graham said he too was concerned about the leaks due to its impact on residents and the environment.
“Khabazela Village is an impoverished area and many of the families are underprivileged. I’ve seen a number of residents and children walking barefoot along the pavement and my primary concern is their health. There has been a lack of response from the City making matters worse as we are unsure as to what is causing this problem. In recent weeks, my fellow ward councillors have all had similar issues when it comes to sewage leaks but nothing is being done about it which is deeply maddening and concerning,” he said.
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