The sewer spillages in Groenvlei.
Residents of Groenvlei in Carolina say they daily have to endure unbearable living conditions as raw sewage continues to flow through their neighbourhood. This is despite repeated reports and promises from the Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality (CALM) to solve the problem.
The situation has reportedly worsened after a visit by the Municipal Manager, Ephraim Thabethe, who residents say inspected the area and promised the municipality would repair the sewer system to ensure sewage does not flow through the residential streets.
Instead, residents claim ditches were dug in the area and then left open while the sewage problem continued. Raw sewage is allegedly flowing along streets and permeating the area with a strong and persistent stench, making it difficult for residents to lead normal lives.
Residents are particularly concerned about the sewage flowing towards a nearby school, raising fears about the health and safety of attending learners.
Some residents say the situation has become so bad that sewage is not only flowing directly in front of their homes, but in some cases, near their doorsteps.
“We were promised there would be a permanent solution and that the municipality would visit the area every week to monitor the situation. But they came once with municipal management, took pictures and left,” they claim.
Residents are accusing CALM of failing to honour its promises, saying there has been little visible action since the inspection.
According to them, the municipality’s failure to deal with the sewage problem has left them neglected and frustrated as the problem affects their health, safety and dignity.
Animal owners in the area have also raised concerns about their livestock, saying the free flowing sewage poses a serious risk to animals that may come into contact with it or drink contaminated water.
Residents now demand urgent intervention from the municipality, arguing that digging ditches without completing the necessary repairs had done little to improve the situation.
They are calling on CALM to return to the area, provide a lasting solution and explain why the promised weekly visits and repairs did not materialise. For Groenvlei residents, the issue is no longer simply an inconvenience, but what they describe as a serious failure of basic municipal service delivery.
The community says it cannot continue living with raw sewage flowing through the streets, where children attend a nearby school and livestock remain exposed to potentially contaminated areas.
Previously CALM spokesperson Thapelo Phetla, said the municipality has a long-term intervention in place to permanently resolve the issue.
“We are currently implementing a major upgrade of the pipeline infrastructure in this area, which is now approximately 90% complete. This upgrade is a critical part of our strategy to address the root causes of recurring sewer spillages and provide a permanent solution for the community,” said Phetla.
He added that municipal teams conduct pipeline inspections as part of their standard operating procedure whenever they respond to sewer overflows.
“While we understand residents’ concerns that teams may appear to focus only on the manhole, we want to assure the community that our inspections are comprehensive. We are aware of the perception that only the manhole is being cleared, and we are committed to ensuring that our inspection processes are thorough and address issues within the underground pipes as well,” he said.
