Cape Town - Mitchells Plain residents say they are tired of poo water flowing in their streets and are calling on the City of Cape Town to fix the problem permanently.
Residents living in Bond Street in London Village say they are sick of the stench left behind by dried up toilet paper and faeces left on the road’s surface following continuous spills.
A 51-year-old mother, who asked not to be named, says she has been reporting the matter for two years but there is no end in sight to the pong.
“I have been living here for 28 years and for over two years we are experiencing the drain covers that pop as the sewage water flows into the streets,” she says.
“It smells really bad and we report it each time and they come and clean each time. But we want to know why don’t they find what is causing it and solve it.”
The woman says after every spill, residents have to put up with the gemors left in the street.
“I am worried about the health of the residents because this is raw sewerage and there are small children living here. And what about the health implications for them?”
Mayco Member for Water and Waste Services, Xanthea Limberg, says on inspection over the weekend, City staff discovered that a pump at the station had airlocked and another was blocked with rags.
“The pumps at the station have since been unblocked and reinstated. The station is now running again,” says Limberg.
“With regard to the pump that became airlocked, this is normally due to sand which has been allowed to enter the system, often due to stolen manhole covers.
“A team is on standby to remove excess sand from the sump to prevent this problem from recurring, and will do so once the necessary Law Enforcement complement is available, as this is a very high crime area.”