An apparent ‘faulty’ sewerage plant in Westonaria has raised some serious health concerns.
On Thursday, 6 April, two senior residents took the Herald with them as they were walking their dogs, to show us the ‘faulty’ sewerage plant.
Also read: Broken sewerage pipe makes life unbearable
Brenda Smith, who has been walking SPCA dogs for seven years and Ann Utting, who has been walking for two years, know the area around the Westonaria Sewerage Plant like the backs of their hands.
They started off by taking the Herald to Stanley Avenue (called the Venterspost Road by residents) to show us the sewage that is lying in a storm-water drain. To the Herald, it resembled a river, and the smell was unbearable.
Also read: Residents see red over broken sewage pipe
Further on, they pointed out the pipe that spills the sewage into the storm-water drain. This ‘river’ flows on for kilometres. The Herald was then shown the Westonaria Sewerage Plant, which, according to one of the workers, is not functinal.
The Herald took a peek at the Plant and could clearly see it was faulty and in a bad condition. Worst of all, said Smith and Utting, is the health risk this holds for the workers at the Plant and the community of Westonaria.
Also read: Randfontein in sewage crisis
One of the workers told the Herald they are not provided with masks and that he has to use his own money to continually go back to the doctor. The symptoms that are described by him, and Smith and Utting, are a sore, scratchy throat and chest problems.
“This is what we, as a community, must inhale daily. If it wasn’t for the wind, which blows mostly at night, the smell would spread right through Westonaria,” said Utting.
Smith added that she had contacted the municipality several times regarding this matter, and had reported the matter more than once. She was also let down by an employee at the municipality.
Smith and Utting are adamant when they say, “At the community meeting we will tell residents to stop paying tax, because problems like these do not get resolved.”
Utting went on to tell us that the sewage water is also seeping through the ground.
These two women are taking a stand and would like the Executive Mayor of the Rand West City Local Municipality to take a walk with them to see for himself.
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