Endless sewer problems in Poppy Crescent

Poppy Crescent residents have been hit hard by sewerage problems that have affected them for over a year now. 

There is a blocked manhole that leaks on a daily basis, causing sewage to pour out. Residents in the area say that uThukela workers have been sent out on numerous occasions, but have done nothing about the problem. “They come and sit under the trees, and that’s about it,” said one resident.

When the workers were approached and asked why they weren’t doing anything, they said they were too scared to go and fix the blockage because there are snakes in the area where the manhole is. 

Another complaint is that, as a result of the raw effluent pouring out of the manhole, the smell is unbearable. Consequently, residents have to keep their windows closed all the time to try (often unsuccessfully) and keep the smell from coming in. “The smell catches in the throat and you feel like retching it’s so disgusting. Not to mention the fact that flies and mosquitoes are breeding like crazy in these conditions,” commented another unhappy resident. 

An off-shoot is that cooking has become difficult with all the flies sitting on everything, and the children can’t play outside for the smell. 

Councillor Abbas Warasally has been in the area to assess the problem and asks why uThukela senior officials are not investigating why their workers are not doing their job properly. 

To add insult to injury, Poppy Crescent is also facing an illegal dumping problem.