Raw sewage a health risk for residents in Briardene
A resident living next to the leaking sewer said sewer water is running into her house.
RAW sewage is running into residents’ homes in the Briaredene Informal Settlement in Redhill. An ongoing sewage leak on Clara Road has been impacting the lives of residents since it sprung up in December. With the hot summer weather, the stench from the leak is unbearable.
A resident living next to the leaking sewer, Hombisa Madikizela said sewer water is running into her house.
“I can’t eat I can’t even stay here. It’s very bad. It’s been going on since last year. The smell is very bad in my house and I have children living here. I am worried about them getting sick,” she said.
Ward 36 Councillor, Shontel de Boer said she had escalated the matter.
Also read: Sewage left after leak fixed in Briardene
“I am horrified at what is going on here. I can see why the residents are constantly calling for intervention, imagine you are sleeping at night with raw sewage in your house. The stench is unbearable standing outside. There are young children here playing right next to the leak, they could catch a number of diseases,” she said.
De Boer said the municipality has visited the site last year and used a jetting system to clear the blockage. She said an educational campaign is necessary to raise awareness about what items will cause a blockage in the sewer. What’s more, she had raised the matter with the municipality.
“Maybe I need to take it into my own hands and do my own education programme as a councillor,” she said.
Another resident in the area, Don Shange said the sewage system cannot cope with the number of residents in the area
Also read: Briardene sewage leak causes a stink
“The number of residents has increased and the piping system is damaged since the land has been eroding. I think the pipes underground are broken. The sewage leak is running down to Acutt Road,” he said.
While the area is overpopulated, Shange said many are waiting for RDP houses, with no where else to go.
The eThekwini Municipality did not send their comment at the time this article went to press.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).
Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.
