Picture: The sewage spillage at Meshack Keameditse’s house/Facebook
By OBAKENG MAJE
A resident at Extension 6, near Taung said the sewage spillage next to his house affects his livelihood including his children. Meshack Keameditse said, it’s been three months since he reported the sewage spillage to the embattled Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM), but nothing has happened.
“There are service laterals in the back opposite house. Now, the sewage spillage has occupied my yard. I have reported the matter to the municipality, however, nothing has happened. Only yesterday, after I posted this on a social media platform, the Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) contacted me.
“The sewage spillage poses health risks such as respiratory sickness. I also tried to speak to the owner of the house, but my plea fell on deaf ears. I hope the municipality will finally attend to this matter,” he said.
Keameditse further said, the sewage system carries wastewater from inside residences and if it flows into other people’s houses it becomes a problem. He added that, according to his understanding, even though property owners are responsible for the maintenance of service laterals from their buildings, the municipality should be held responsible for pipe transition.
“With cholera outbreak, we might be exposed to health risks and I might approach the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) if nothing happens because this is a violation of human rights,” said Keameditse.
Meanwhile, the supervisor in the Water and Sanitation unit at the Greater Taung Local Municipality, Olehile Nthapelang said: “We have dispatched our team from the water and sanitation unit to unblock the drainage system. We have also done an assessment and we were only aware of the matter on Wednesday.
“So, we urge our residents to report these things timeously because most of the time, we are on the field. It only cost R230 to unblock the service laterals. We also encourage our people to pay for their services. We understand that, in this matter, the spillage was from the neighbour and we have fixed the drainage system.”
The Guardian 