The Sol Plaatje Municipality has blamed residents in China Square, Galeshewe, who have unlawfully extended their RDP houses with shacks, for the overflowing sewage after a manhole was blocked.
THE SOL Plaatje Municipality has blamed residents in China Square, Galeshewe, who have unlawfully extended their RDP houses with shacks, for the overflowing sewage after a manhole was blocked.
Residents at two houses were urged to demolish their shacks in order to allow access to the manhole and for the municipality to maintain it.
About eight houses in the same street were exposed to the stench of raw sewage after a manhole became blocked.
One family had to dig trenches inside their yard to “redirect” the sewage water.
Bridget Raadt said the problem started about three months ago and pointed out that the situation became unbearable as the windy season approached.
Raadt said the family needs to engage with the municipality regarding the erection of the shack because their RDP house is too small for the whole family.
“Does this mean that we will never be able to extend our house in the future,” she asked.
She said the sanitation team did not even bother to engage with them or do any inspection when they went to work on the drains, but went to the other yard to unblock the manhole.
Municipal spokesperson Thoko Riet explained that the blockage had to be cleared at another manhole.
Riet said the sanitation team had to find an alternative method to unblock the drain because they could not access the problematic manhole due to a shack being erected on top of it.
“The house was not erected on top of the manhole, but the shack was. They have to demolish the shacks or otherwise this will remain a problem. Residents should not cover manholes because they are there for a reason.
“Every structure within the municipal boundary needs to be approved.”
