'Our businesses are dying in sewage stink'

It's not business as usual in Standerton for small business people because of the sewage nightmare in the area. 

From town to the townships, business owners are faced with complaining customers every day. 

Mpumelelo Mahlangu owns a hair salon in the CBD. She said customer numbers have dropped drastically in the past year because of the sewage that flows onto the streets.

"We try to pour detergents over the sewage water by our entrances but on a hot day that doesn't help," she said.

Mlungisi Tsolo, who works at a local spaza shop, said customers would rather go and buy essentials in shops in other neighbourhoods. 

Tsolo's tuck shop is situated on the main road and it is surrounded by schools.

"We used to coin it big time because we have very reasonable prices for customers but now they have stayed away because of the sewage that flows just in front of the spaza shop."

Next to the sewage stream in front of the gate is an open drain with diapers and sanitary pads exposed on the surface. Tsolo said that has become the deal breaker in the business. 

"No one wants to see that .It's very disgusting and imagine having to buy groceries to eat in such a setup," he said.

Tsolo said they were considering moving the shop to another location because their business was slowly dying in the sewage stink. He said the municipality does not come no matter how many times he has called them to fix the sewage spillage. 

"We are just defeated and sadly we wish we could have a local person as a municipal officer to account for our area and our townships because they would fight to restore the dignity of our community."

Tsolo said the municipality was run by people they didn't know as a community. 

"We just see these candidates on ballot papers and we have no choice but to vote because they represent our regions .We never see them after voting. They loot and go."