By Anga-Anganda Bushwana
Berend Walters of Hooggenoeg in Makhanda has taken it upon himself to fix municipal drain blockages in his area in order to prevent sewage eruptions into the streets and houses of the area. “If I don’t do it then no one else will”, said Walters.
He is now 60 years of age and still in good shape. He told Grocotts Mail that he is self-taught in plumbing. After leaving school in Grade Five, Walters later did electrical work and worked in videotronics before starting his own business as a contractor. He is well acquainted with the municipal drains and sewage pipelines in Makhanda and has documented many sewage leaks and spills.
“If these drains in 7th Avenue are blocked it means that 4th, 9th, 8th, and 10th Avenue will have drain blockages and as a result the sewage will pile up and the drains in peoples’ homes will overflow”, explained Walters, when asked why he was unblocking municipal drains on an empty piece of land opposite 8th Avenue.
A subcontractor employed by Makana Municipality did a poor job installing a sewer pipeline, and sewage began flooding backwards instead of away from the houses, Walters told Grocott’s Mail. When Walters brought this to the subcontractor’s attention, they phoned their manager who Walters overheard saying: “Leave it. We have already been paid by the municipality, just leave it.”
Walters told Grocotts Mail that even after another contractor attempted to repair the pipeline, it didn’t work and ever since then they have had continuous blockages in the area. Walters is now the one who voluntarily unblocks the drains when the sewage piles up.
One of Walters’ neighbours, Paul Israel, says children get sick in the area when sewage floods into houses. Israel has many other complaints too. “The council is useless. They don’t clean the streets, that’s why that timer [Walters] is complaining. All the people are struggling and the water doesn’t come out of our taps but the water is running in the streets. We wait for the water trucks to come time and again. Some people are cooking on fires because they don’t have money for electricity and there is not even job creation” he added.
Walters also showed Grocott’s Mail a crèche that was forced to close down because it had continual sewage leaks in its front yard and parents were reluctant to send their children there. The homeowner has now dug channels to release sewage into the street before it floods the house.
“About three months back I had sent messages to the current Makana municipal manager, Phumelelo Maxwell Kate, regarding the situation of the drains. They have promised to come and fix the drains but we are still waiting to this very day,” said Walters.
Walters attended the recent City Hall meeting with photos on his phone of sewage leaks in Hooggenoeg but wasn’t given a chance to show the pictures to Senzo Mchunu, Minister of Water and Sanitation.
Grocotts Mail sent questions to Anele Mjekula of Makana Municipality and Ward One councillor, Phumelele Peter, but has not yet received a reply.
