A burst sewerage pipe that forced a Grahamstown family to keep their doors and windows closed throughout the festive season was eventually fixed by the municipality – but not removed – according to the family.
A burst sewerage pipe that forced a Grahamstown family to keep their doors and windows closed throughout the festive season was eventually fixed by the municipality – but not removed – according to the family.
Fezeka Ntsendwana, who lives in Rhoyi Street, Tantyi, said the problem started in the first week of December and that she had immediately reported it to Makana Municipality. She said the municipality promised to follow up on the matter on Monday 4 January when they reopened.
"I went there on Monday to remind them of their promise. I was told that Makana Municipality water and sanitation manager Ntombi Tshicilela was on leave. "When I asked who could help me then, I was told that the other person working with Tshicela was also on leave.
"I called the mayor and she said she would pass that to Infrastructure and Technical Services Director Dali Mlenzana. "On Tuesday I went to the municipality again and they went with me to my place. They fixed the pipes. But the problem is that the pipes have not been removed.
"They could burst again any time and it will go back to square one. It would be this up and down chasing them to come and fix it. "They still say the same thing, that Nondzube Street people would suffer if they remove the pipes," said Ntsendwana. She said when this started she first reported it to the engineering department.
There, she was told that it was not that department’s responsibility to fix the pipes. Ntsendwana said she progressed to the water and sanitation department and eventually they came to check on the problem. She said they didn't give her a proper answer about what they were going to do, though.
They just left, she said. "I thought they would come back, but days passed and I went to report the matter again. " I was told that the pipe was coming from Nondzube Street and if they shut it off, people from that area would suffer. "They cleaned out the pipe and tried to fix it. But straight after they left, the leak started again," said Ntsendwana.
“I reported it again, but when they came, they spoke to my brother on the street and told him they would come back in January. "Again it wasn’t clear what they were planning to do. My worry now was my kids’ health, because the sewage passes right next to the bedroom window and past the front door," said Ntsendwana.
She said she when to the municipality again, she was told to come back on 4 January. Ntsendwana said she had been unable to open her doors and windows since the first week of December. "All that smell was coming in. I have kids here – just imagine that. I tried to explain to them not to go out, but kids are kids, they do go out and play.
"It’s summer now and the sun becomes very hot. Imagine that sewage smell on a hot day. I tried everything, but the municipality failed to help me," said Ntsendwana. Earlier in December, Makana Municipality Water and Sanitation Manager Ntombi Tshicilela said a team had been sent to fix the pipe on 23 December.
"If sewage is spilling again, then that is something new,” Tshicilela said at the time. “On 22 December we were there to check on the problem and the following day we sent our team to attend to the matter.
"We had an agreement that we would meet again with Ntsendwana to sort out everything on 4 January when we return to work. "There is also an encroachment matter there and that is one of the things we said we would sort out when we open next year," said Tshicilela.
