Residents of Villa Liza in Ekurhuleni say they are still being forced to live with raw sewage flowing through their streets, despite repeated complaints.
The problem is not new, with residents previously reporting years of recurring sewer overflows and temporary repairs that fail to provide a lasting solution.
The City of Ekurhuleni has blamed blockages largely on foreign objects being dumped into the sewer system and says it carries out routine cleaning and maintenance.
Residents, however, say the persistent spillages have created unacceptable living conditions and a serious health and environmental concern, and are demanding urgent and permanent intervention.
“The issue is affecting our health; we don’t know what we must do so that these people can come here and help us. I’ve tried several times to report the matter, but I was told that the contractor hasn’t been paid yet. We are calling for all the relevant offices to come and fix this one; we are asking for a permanent solution. We are calling for all the municipalities to come today; if they don’t come, then I don’t think we will vote.”
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