A mammoth mess

A normally pristine and serene area of the Olivenhout Spruit is now tainted by the gross image and stench of raw sewage water that has been spilling into it, and residents are not happy.

The sewage has been flowing into the spruit over the past few months now and the cause appears to be a blocked or broken sewerage pipe further up the neighbourhood’s greenbelt.

“This is a perennial stream and I have never seen it dry up in the 11 years that I have lived here. It is usually a beautiful and serene place to enjoy nature and the wildlife in it, but now it stinks. The sight of the sewage collecting in places on the spruit is disgusting. I can’t even begin to think about the damage caused to the environment by this,” said concerned Conduit Street resident Athelé Oosterbroek.

The Olivenhout Spruit has its sources near Little Falls and eventually flows into the Klein Jukskei River.

“When you visit places like hiking trails and picnic spots near the Klein Jukskei, the smell is atrocious, and it all stems from this pollution. The stench that comes into my home is unbearable,” she added.

Sewage can be seen flowing into the spruit at the open area near Government Road.

“As concerned residents, we have reported this issue numerous times over the past few months, and we are still waiting to see any action. There is no way that an issue as serious as this can take so long to be sorted out. We have also reported this to our ward councillor numerous times, who has said that he has escalated the issue.” Ward 115 councillor Matome Mafokwane responded and said he was aware of the issue.

“The matter is escalated to Joburg Water sanitation’s local branch situated in Randburg. Their teams did locate the leakage up the stream. I will be keeping tabs on this matter,” he said.

The Randburg Sun has contacted Joburg Water for their comment on the situation and is awaiting a response.