Tshikota residents tired of dysfunctional sewerage system
Three months after waste water flooded the streets, the dysfunctional sewerage system has not been fixed and residents say they have had enough.
LIMPOPO- The stench of raw faeces coupled with the sound of swarms of mosquitoes is what greets one upon entering Tshikota township.
After more than three months, the problem with the dysfunctional sewerage system has still not been resolved and residents at this point say they have had enough.
The situation of waste water that flooded an entire house and street some time ago has not been resolved. Livhuwani Phungo, a resident in this area, said she contacted the municipality on many occasions, but to no avail.
“When the municipality does come out to unblock one part of the sewerage system, another part blocks up again and spews the stinking water into our yards and streets.”
In the mornings and afternoons, children here can be seen playing in the smelly streets, even though parents and guardians warn them to stay indoors.
“Children will be children. They sneak out to play outdoors, and we are afraid they might catch dreadful diseases from the raw sewage. It seems as if the municipality doesn’t care about our health. I can’t even open the windows because of this terrible smell. My children cannot play outside because of human waste floating down the streets,” she said indignantly.
She said that when they had voted the last time, they expected to see positive change and hoped that the candidates they had voted for would work for the people.
“The people we voted for were merely sitting in their offices and not caring about community service. We are not going to vote in the coming election,” she said.
Phungo is one of many who say they feel something drastic should be done about the municipality for putting residents’ health at risk.
“There are people living here. This is rubbish!” she exclaimed. Residents planned on taking legal action against the municipality, she added. “When cars drive past, sewage water splashes onto our kids playing outside, so they’re kept indoors as much as possible. It’s unacceptable.”
The spokesperson for the Vhembe District Municipality, Matodzi Ralushai said he was aware of the problems and that their technical department would address these soon.
