Residents forced to live with raw sewage in backyard
The Blesbokspruit has become a 'sewage farm' in the eyes of residents and workers in the vicinity.
Patrick Ganda, who works at the Blesbokspruit Conservation Trust, says sewage is overflowing from a manhole situated in the yard of a Slovo Park resident.
“This spill is so severe that it is flowing straight into the Blesbokspruit,” he says.
“Residents can barely walk in the field between their houses and the dam, as the sewage has pooled in this area.”
Ganda explains that this is a serious problem which poses a massive health risk to residents and animals.
“There are small children and elderly living next to the sewage leak and they have to inhale this foul smell every day and night,” he says.
“There are also cattle grazing in the area and they drink the water.”
He adds he has, since August, reported the spill numerous times to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, but nothing has been done.
A resident who lives near the manhole says residents can no longer stand the smell and she fears her children will get sick.
“We used to find it difficult to eat our food at night because the smell made us nauseous, but we have grown used to it now,” she says.
Another resident says they do not always have the means to contact the metro to report municipal issues.
“We have to live with it,” he says.
The Addie is awaiting comment from the metro.
