Blocked drains cause sewage to spill into Merebank homes
Ageing infrastructure and poor service maintenance cause sewerage blockages in Merebank and surrounding areas.
RESIDENTS in Merebank are up in arms with the eThekwini Municipality because of sewage flowing into their yards. The sewage crisis persists in tormenting the residents as raw sewage continuously floods their homes, perpetuating dire living conditions. Despite the municipality’s implementation of various interim measures to alleviate sewage blockages, residents endure persistently deplorable circumstances within their homes.
Also read: Sewage crisis sparks outcry: Residents demand probe into eThekwini’s infrastructure decay
In the flats of Merebank, residents dread the ongoing flu outbreak in eThekwini, fearing it may exacerbate their predicament, leading to further health complications.
Rhodia Allen cautioned about the looming public health risks posed by the raw sewage, expressing concern over the potential transmission of deadly bacteria.
“My daughter recently battled worms, likely contracted from the bacteria present in the raw sewage surrounding our residence. Children play outdoors all day, sometimes encountering sewage water in the yard,” she revealed.
“My child fell ill, likely due to the noxious odour emanating from the raw sewage we inhale daily. We’ve endured this sewer stench since last year,” said Allen.
Another resident Tracey Klopper said, “The environment here is extremely unhygienic, particularly during rainfall. While plumbers attempt to mend the fractured sewer lines, the root cause of these blockages remains unaddressed. They repair it today, only for the pipes to clog again in a matter of days, triggering yet another sewage crisis.”
Giovanni Windvoel, echoing the sentiments of many, said, “We reluctantly coexist amid this filth due to the absence of alternatives. Our appeals to the authorities appear to have fallen on deaf ears as the underlying cause of these recurrent sewage blockages remains elusive.”
Ward 68 councillor Aubrey Snyman said, “The current sewer infrastructure is over 65 years old, and apart from that, the community has grown, and this is expected when there is a lack of maintenance, which is definitely unacceptable. We are continuously applying pressure on eThekwini Water and Sanitation to address these sewer blockages in Ward 68.”
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