Despite millions spent on sewer system upgrades and persistent complaints from desperate residents, the Nile River of spillage continues to flow everywhere in Ikageng.
The newspaper articles on this herculean problem that has affected the residents for years have also amounted to a futile exercise as the spills have become part and parcel of the residents’ lives.
Annah Seboko said on Facebook that they have been battling with the sewer for three months. ‘All we are eating is the sewage. In Kanana, the spillage runs up to the cemetery.’
Funene Rakhulo says areas like Top City have also been affected. She asks herself if the workers intend to work after hours.
Photo: Selogile Leshage
The severity of the sewer spillage all over the township has also prompted the DA to take action and conduct an oversight inspection in Ikageng.
Ikageng residents deserve to live in a clean area
In a press statement, the DA councillor, Peter Mosounyana says the DA will write to the mayor, Kgotso Khumalo, and the acting municipal manager, Cyril Henry, requesting them to immediately take action. ‘We want them to make provisions for fixing the sewage overflow – the people of Ikageng deserve to live in an area that is not covered in human waste,’ he said.
He added that the situation is so dire that residents are resorting to building make-shift pavements from rocks just to get in and out of their houses. ‘The residents are forced to breathe in the horrible stench on a daily basis. It has greatly compromised their health as many of them are prone to coughing fits because of this.’
There are people who block the manholes
The Herald has also published articles on the problem in previous editions. During an oversight visit by the media, the project manager on site in Ext. 11 said the problem is exacerbated by community members who block the manholes.
‘There are people who block the manholes by throwing huge rocks, debris, blankets, half-mattresses, diapers, school bags and huge amounts of paper into the system. This is not helpful and we are not going to win this war. The community must be made aware that they are making the situation worse.’
Mosounyana says the J.B. Marks council approved a R12 million budget to upgrade the sewage system but there has not been any actual work or improvement in the area to date.
https://www.citizen.co.za/potchefstroom-herald/44287/struggle-sewage-spills-continues/
Sewage spills and maintenance are a daily operational matter
The senior media relations officer at J.B. Marks, Jeanette Tshite says it should be noted that sewage spills and maintenance are a daily operational matter. ‘The department of technical services deals with these on a case to case basis as the community reports them. It is, therefore, difficult to put time frames on the eradication of spillage,’ she said.
She also stressed that spillage could be caused by foreign objects that land up in the sewer system, among other things. ‘We find things like nappies, empty soft drink bottles and rocks every time we unblock the sewer system. We urge the members of the community to refrain from throwing these things into the sewer lines.’
She added that the sewer network is also dilapidated and requires urgent replacement or upgrading. ‘That is being attended to. The municipality has upgraded part of the sewer network in Ext. 11 and thus alleviated some of the blockages. Due to budgetary constraints, however, the whole network could not be upgraded.
‘The department of technical services has compiled a detailed report on the upgrading of the sewer network in Ikageng that will serve at Council as soon as possible,’ she said. Tshite says the municipality will conduct an awareness campaign to educate members of the community about the effects of throwing foreign objects into the sewer system.
VIDEO:
https://www.citizen.co.za/potchefstroom-herald/video_of_the_day/struggle-sewer-spillage-continues/
*To read the full story, read the Potchefstroom Herald (12 July 2018 issue).
