An accident waiting to happen
'I am on the verge of solving the problem with a bag of cement”
“All the municipality says is that they do not have drain covers in stock. What should I do? “
This is the question a Witpoortjie resident, Carike Weber, is asking. For the past year she has been struggling to have the open sewage manhole on her sidewalk closed. “Originally, we had two open drains – one on each side of our driveway. I called the municipality last July, and covered one of the drains, but the other one was just left open because they allegedly did not have the right cover for it,” said a frustrated Carike.
Their house is on Nassau Street and learners from three schools – Princess Primary, Laerskool Roodebeeck and Bastion Hoërskool – walk past it on a daily basis. “The open drain is in the middle of the sidewalk and filled with sewage. It is overgrown with grass, resulting in passers-by falling into it because they are unaware of it. The most recent incident was of a 84-year-old man. Fortunately my daughter was at home and could find someone to help him get out. My vehicle got stuck in it, and many of our clients and guests were also victims. Many pedestrians walk past our home every day. What happens if one of them is injured badly?“ she asked.
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According to her, she and her daughter have been communicating with the municipality, as well as with ward councillor René Benjamin in an attempt to solve the problem. “René has been really helpful and we are very grateful for all her efforts, but I cannot struggle like this anymore. We have been living here since 1992, and never before have I battled to have something fixed like I do now. I am at my wits’ end and desperate enough to do something drastic,” she said.
Carike said that after the last incident, the sewage is overflowing. “The elderly man lost his wallet in the hole. People cut the grass around the hole and also used a bucket to empty it in an attempt to find the wallet. The hole has filled up again quickly, and sewage is now spilling into the street. I really do not know what to do anymore,” she said desperately.
Johannesburg Water was approached for comment, but by the time the article was published, none has been received. Once comment is received, a follow-up article will be published.
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