Life has become a living hell for residents of Emalahleni township in Mpumalanga who have been forced to watch their step in their homes as a stinky sludge of toxic sewage has been allowed to seep out of a manhole onto the streets for two weeks.
According to the residents of Extension 14 in Emalahleni, the municipality has failed to fix the stinking sewage flood for nearly two weeks, now leaving it to flow in the neighbourhood where the stench permeates the road.
At least four houses next to the burst manhole have been so badly affected that the owners have been forced to mop up their floors and bathrooms daily to avoid viruses and bacteria.
One of the home owners, Maggie Mametsa, was busy mopping up her bathroom when Sowetan arrived at her home yesterday. The dangerous stew has turned into a pond in front of her kitchen.
“Municipal people came here on Friday and started working at the manhole,” she said.
“The same day, the sewer started to burst in my house. We asked them with the other neighbours why they were leaving and they said they were going to call their seniors. They never came back.
“Since Friday, sewage has been flowing in my yard as you can see. I have two little children who are just over a year old. It is a serious risk to them. We have to keep the windows closed so that the flies do not come in. It is hot inside but we cannot open windows and doors. The children have to walk around the house in their nappies.”
To make matters worse for Mametsa, the dirty, dangerous stew is now flowing inside her bathroom through the toilet and the bathtub.
“Over the past three days I have had to sleep in the sitting room because I am scared the whole house will get flooded. I have to wake up at night to mop up the dirty water. It has been a living hell,” Mametsa said.
Mametsa cannot do her laundry as she fears her clothes will smell and the dirty water may damage them.
Her neighbour, Sipho Maseko, said he had tried to clean the yard yesterday morning but water bubbling up in his yard had got stronger as the day progressed.
“I sell fat cakes in this community. Business has been very low. People cannot come to my house to buy food while it is stinking [and] with flies all over the place,” Maseko said.
The sewage spill runs down Sello Street all the way to Extension 12 and Extension 3 of the township.
The municipal manager at Emalahleni, Sizwe Mayisela, said he could not confirm or deny whether the issue was reported two weeks ago. Instead, he blamed the blockages of drains and manhole on residents who he said threw objects such as clothes, rocks and even animal parts into the manhole.
“We have a building here of technical services where sewer issues are reported. Two weeks is a long time for a problem of sewer not to be fixed but I cannot say the residents are lying. On my side, the matter came to my attention on Saturday and I gave instruction for them to prioritise the sewer problem,” Mayisela said.
“I expected them to finish the problem on the day but maybe the problem is bigger than what was anticipated. Maybe the pipe is broken. The team is there working, that problem must stop. I cannot say it will be today. If we have sent people to go and work, the work must come to an end. It must not be perpetual.”
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