Khayelitsha residents resorted to calling mayor Dan Plato to their rescue after feeling they are not being heard by City of Cape Town officials.
Plato was called by the residents to get a first-hand experience of what they are going through since a field - which used to be a park for sport and recreation - has been covered in sewage.
For the past few months most drains in Khayelitsha have been overflowing, with residents complaining about the health hazard this is posing for them.
Ward 98 councillor Anele Gabuza said there has been a drain overflowing in the park since last year.
“The park has a sports field which was opened during the 2010 Soccer World Cup by FIFA, but now looks nothing like it used to,” said Gabuza.
He said residents had been complaining about this because they couldn’t utilise the park for what it was meant, and also that the smell of the sewage was putting their lives in danger.
Gabuza said they had been reporting the issue to city officials, but they did not seem to care.
Gabuza said the faeces had gone into people’s homes, and as no one was enjoying the park any more, it had become a burden.
“We decided to call the mayor himself, because his people are not listening to our cries,” said Gabuza.
He said the mayor had promised to come back with city officials on Friday to address the issue.
Plato said he came to see what the community leaders and residents were complaining about.
“They called me because they say they are struggling to get the problem addressed, because according to them for the past couple of months they can’t use the park,” he said.
Plato said he looked at where the problem originated and promised the community that he would address the issue with senior city officials.
Plato said the problem would be resolved.
Weekend Argus