By Siyanda Zinyanga
Kingswood suburb
“The cars driving through the sewage spray it into our house, the stench is unbearable, especially when the day heats up. It’s a severe health hazard,” Dr Dittmar Eichhoff, living in Kingswood, said. He explained that the source is in Whites Road, but the sewage flows down Southey Street and over Park Road in front of their driveway. “We don’t care about the politics. We just want competent municipal leadership to be accountable for their actions,” Eichhoff said.
Zolani township
“We ate Christmas here while the sewage was overflowing, and kids were playing with dirty condoms from the sewage,” Sindiswa Jomi, a resident and a mother of three, said. In Zolani, a township on the outskirts of Makhanda, residents have been living with broken drains for over two years. Her neighbours, Nokwakha Jaji and Lahluma Mfecane, began developing skin rashes from exposure to the sewage. Jali’s daughter initially thought the issue was caused by contaminated water from the tank. But after switching to bottled water, it became clear that the sewage was the culprit.
Mnqayi township
“My granny is in hospital now, she is very sick and we don’t know what caused her sickness, maybe it’s this thing here,” said Zanele Gambu, a resident of Mnqayi, pointing to the stagnant sewage pooling near her home. “Our ward councillor lives at 10 in New Town. He keeps saying he will fix this, but nothing has changed. “We are voting him out this year,” said Anele Zuzile, another frustrated resident.
