REPAIR work to a damaged section of the above-ground sewerage pipe on Prince Mhlangana Road is underway, with restoration expected to take around a month to complete.
During last month’s heavy rains, several pump stations, as well as sewerage pipelines, were damaged, including this one which runs from Red Hill to Riverhorse Valley.
Residents and conservationists raised the alarm over the pipe which, on a daily basis, spewed raw sewage across the road and into a tributary feeding the Umgeni River.
Ward 34 Councillor Bobby Maharajh has urged residents to exercise patience as a section of the road has been closed to traffic due to the nature of the repair work.
“The contractors have now been on site for a little over a week, and they felt that in order to move the heavy concrete pipes into place, they needed the road closed to traffic. Some sections are on site to join the damaged section, however, I’m told that the things that will take a bit of time are the cement cradles, which the pipeline rests on. They are still being manufactured and will take some time.
“I was informed the project would take almost a month to complete, and the sooner we get it done, the better. The environment has been hard hit by the recent storms, and in particular, the uMgeni River. Once this project is done, the eThekwini Municipality can turn its attention to the clean-up operations along the river bed and roadway. I urge residents to be patient as repairs continue. In Ward 34, we are fortunate there are alternate routes for getting in and out of the area. At the end of the day, I want to see a proper job being done,” he said.
eThekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said they were working round the clock to fix the trunk sewer line.
