Frustrated by years of inaction, a group of men, most of them pensioners, have taken it upon themselves to fix sewer spillages in their communities in the Emfuleni local municipality in Vanderbijlpark, on the Vaal.
It was the stench of raw sewage hanging in the air during the hot summer days in December that finally pushed them into action.
Pensioner Philemon Ndabezitha from Sebokeng Zone 7 said the smell was unbearable.
“In December, when it rained, the sewer mixed with rainwater flowed everywhere. When the sun came out the next morning, the heat brought a heavy stench, and you were forced to wear a mask just to walk around,” the 61-year-old man said.
The men said they have been dealing with sewer spillages for over three years. Some of them are former construction workers, while others have worked for electricity companies.
“Before we start with the work, we first do a safety check. When we see there are cables underground, we don’t mess with them. We first assess what we are dealing with,” Ndabezitha said.
As early as 7am on Wednesday, a group of men had rolled up their sleeves and began working the ground to address a sewer overflow.
Using shovels, they dug into the soil to create space for a pipe intended to improve the flow of sewage. The men continued working under the scorching sun, with some digging while others positioned the pipe and applied concrete to secure it in place.
One man was seen mixing cement to seal the opening. A visible pool of sewage lay nearby, overflowing from a neighbouring home and spreading across the ground as the work continued.
The group remained on site until around 1pm, waiting for the cement to set.
The sewer situation in Emfuleni has deteriorated to the point where collapsed sewer lines have threatened the operations of local businesses.
Several business owners said they have been negatively affected by ongoing sewage spills, blocked drains and toilets that cannot be used by customers.
However, last year the department of water and sanitation, in partnership with Rand Water, launched a Special Purpose Vehicle aimed at fixing water and sanitation infrastructure in the municipality.
The initiative seeks to address years of dry taps, leaking pipes and raw sewage flowing through streets and into residents’ homes.
Steven Lata, 52, who is currently unemployed, said the community had no choice but to act, especially because schoolchildren were being affected.
He said they were initially three, and then the number grew to 10.
“We had to stand up as a community. Learners use this road, and motorists don’t care ... they splash children and the elderly with sewage near the bridge. We had to unblock manholes and clean the streets so that motorists don’t splash the learners with sewage anymore. So, we had to take a stand as men in the community.
“We just told ourselves that whether it smells or not, we are going to go inside manholes to unblock them.”
Lata said that residents went knee-deep into the drainage system to unblock it so that the sewer can flow where it is supposed to.
He said illegal dumping made the problem worse.
To fund the repairs, residents contributed R100 each to buy pipes and cement to redirect the sewage into a nearby stream.
Lata said the local councillor had also sponsored the project.
“We decided to do things ourselves because we were not getting any help [from the municipality] because there was nothing else we were doing, and we were seeing learners being affected. No one is paying us. We just took it upon ourselves,” Lata said.”
The men also installed lights in the area to improve safety.
“Even the councillor bought some cement with his own money. Last year, we installed spotlights on a few houses because the streetlights weren’t working. In winter it gets dark early while people are still coming home from work,” he said.
Another resident, Mokgele Mohalanyane, 62, said sewage also ruins car tyres, and when one gets into the garage, it starts smelling.
The residents said they have never approached the municipality for assistance, adding that their only communication has been with the local councillor.
Sowetan
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