Residents of Palm Road in Croftdene are fed up with the shoddy services of eThekwini Municipality and claim to have been living with overflowing sewage strewn across their property for two months, leaving them sickened with the awful sight and stench.
They said that they have become prisoners in their own home as the stench has become so unbearable that they are unable to open windows or doors, or even allow the children to play outside.
Claudette Nagan, who has a six-year-old child with leukaemia, said that her son became very ill due to the stench.
“I had to send him to stay with family in Phoenix during the holiday because he became ill. However, he is back at school now and I do not know whether I should sacrifice his education or health. If my son is hospitalised due to this issue, the municipality should take liability as they are not taking the responsibility of providing proper services to ratepayers,” she said.
Property owner, Gerad Manikam, said: “On Thursday, 23 May, the issue was lodged with eThekwini Municipality. On 30 May, workers came out and did rodding; they advised that the issue lies on our side and we needed to get a private contractor. We then got the services of two private contractors, for which we paid. They advised us that the issue lies with the Municipal Sewer Department.
“On 21 June, another query was lodged. On 2 July, plumbers came through, tried to sort out the issue and left. On 3 July, they came through again with a jetting machine. On 4 July, my sister was contacted by an eThekwini employee who advised her that the sewer issue was fixed. Later that evening, the yard was filled with sewage again.”
Manikam alleged that on 11 July, eThekwini employees visited the home, parked on the road and just stood there as no one was at the property since everyone had left to work. He said that he contacted a neighbour to permit them entrance, however, they left without even checking and claimed that they needed inspectors to come.
“We are ratepayers and cannot be forced to live in such circumstances. An inspector visited on Saturday and said that the issue will be fixed. We are awaiting a conclusion,” Manikam concluded.
Gugu Sisilana, spokesperson for eThekwini Municipality, said: “The municipality’s jetting team was on this site on Friday and could not gain access to the property in question. The team went back again today and could not gain access again as the manhole is inside the property. The consumer was then called to arrange for the team to access the property on Saturday.”
