By Selenathi Botha
It seems living in an unhealthy environment has become a norm for the people of Makhanda.
Local residents have been complaining and reporting the issues they are facing continuously to the authorities with little to no assistance.
Their problems are not limited to the frustrating on-and-off water supply but other unresolved challenges of water leaks, sewage spilling through their yards and burst pipes – all catalysts for an unpleasant, unhealthy environment.
A concerned citizen, who is a retired engineer, Peter Sturrock, raised the alarm at the conditions people, particularly in the township, have to live in. He complained about sewage and water that had been running down the streets, especially in front of people’s houses. He said after talking to the Makana Municipality about the issues, he had been informed that one of the reasons for blocked pipes and leakages is people dumping rubbish such as baby diapers and other things in the toilets.
Recently, Sturrock met with Khungeka Mashiyane, a Makana Citizens Front PR councillor, in the presence of Grocott’s Mail, and the team inspected hot-spot areas for water and sewage leaks and burst pipes in Makhanda.
The team stopped in Tantyi, where they had an interaction with Brenda Wakashe, a resident of P Street, who shared her disappointment and frustration at not getting attention despite numerous cries for help to have the authorities clear a large pool of water in front of her yard due to a burst pipe. Wakashe was at pains to express her frustrations, struggling to remember precisely when there had been the pipe burst that caused the flooding in front of her house. But it’s been a while, and she has been reporting the problem, she said.
”I had a problem with a tap, and I think the only reason I got help quickly was because there was a funeral. The municipality people only fixed the tap; when I told them about that burst pipe that made the front of my yard look like a dam, they said they were only there to fix the tap; their priority was the tap,” Wakashe lamented.
Wakashe says she and her neighbours have reported the matter to the municipality countless times, but there has been no help. “I am scared that children will get sick because they play there,” she said, adding that several people had taken pictures of the waterlogged area, but nothing has changed.
Ndileka Booi, who lives in Q Street, parallel to P Street, also complained of a water leakage in front of her yard. ”The water comes into my yard from time to time, which is not safe for us. I could say this started before December 2023, and it still continues up to now,” Booi said.
She says she stops every municipal vehicle that passes by so that they could look at the problem until she was told to report the matter to the Fire department.
The Makana Municipality had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
