Residents of Welkom are “swimming” in sewage and are getting sick from it. As a result, some suffer from stomach ailments while others’ chests close up because of the stench accompanying the waste flowing through their gardens and even into their houses.
Gerhard Botha, DA councillor for Doorn and Dagbreek in Welkom, says there is especially a big problem in the Doorn suburb, where sewer pipes have collapsed, and temporary pumps are used to clean the sewage pits. “The sewage is pumped into the stormwater,” he states.
He says the Matjhabeng municipality bought six temporary sewage pumps, but only two are working.
“Unprocessed sewage is literally running through the residents’ yards, while municipal workers have been on strike for three weeks over overtime payments and personal protective equipment (PPE) they are not getting.”
He says that after the residents took the municipality to court earlier about the situation, the High Court in Bloemfontein ruled that the temporary sewage pumps must always be in working order.
Botha says they are now trying to find a way to solve the sewage problems quickly, but it is impossible with the workers on strike.
“People are literally becoming ill from the sewage and are getting stomach ailments like diarrhoea.”
He says because of the stench and the rot, some residents cannot even cook in their homes.
Dr Roy Jankielsohn, provincial DA leader, says you can smell the ANC government in Matjhabeng before you even get there.
“The sewage problem has a tremendous impact on human dignity and health, and people’s constitutional right to a healthy environment.”
He says he personally went to see the situation in Matjhabeng on Tuesday 8 November. Two council members, Gerhard Botha and Igor Scheurkogel, accompanied him.
The sewage also has an impact on the value of the properties in these areas.
“Residents have indicated that they cannot use the toilets in their homes because they are already overflowing. Some of them cannot cook in their kitchens because of the stench and sewage, which is standing ankle-deep in their yards.”
People bought pumps at their own expense to pump the sewage from their yards into the streets.
“Meanwhile, the contractors who have to solve the problems are on strike and some of their contracts have been cancelled even though the national department of water and sanitation has allocated money for it.”
Jankielsohn says the situation in Matjhabeng poses serious health risks for the residents and the neighbourhoods have become a breeding ground for diseases such as cholera.
Some of the Doorn residents the entourage visited included Krappies Meiring of Tana Street where the sewage flows through his yard, and Marius Kruger of Church Street. He says his sewage problems are a couple of years old. There was a time when it was solved, but now the sewage problems have flared up again.
“This is mainly due to blockages. The pumping station also needs to be redone, but there is no money.”
Kruger says one cannot live like this. “I have had to fix my pool pump twice at my own expense because of the sewage problems. The sewage flows under my paving into the pump house of the swimming pool.”
Past. Hector Matthee from the Anglican church showed the group how his church building stands in a dam of sewage.
Thabo Panyani, acting municipal manager of Matjhabeng, was called three times on Tuesday about the problem, but he did not answer his phone.
