The residents of a housing complex in Phoenix are breathing a sigh of relief after suffering as a result of overflowing sewage that was emitting a “horrible and unhealthy” stench throughout the unit.
Mrs K Moodley, who is a senior registered nurse at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, said she was appalled by the foul odour that the sewage overflow left in her home. She said: “The smell of sewage was unbearable and it was extremely close to overflowing into my home.”
She said when the residents contacted the offices of the complex to report the leak, they were met with unsatisfactory responses. “The offices were of no help at all,” added Moodley.
Another resident, Mrs T Naidoo, said the sewage overflow was disgusting and unhealthy. She said the horrible situation left them unable to open their doors and windows.
“We could not even drive in and out of the complex as the overflow of the sewage had filled the parking lot. When we contacted the offices of the complex, we were met with a rude employee who basically told us that if we do not want to stay in the unit then we need to move out. If we have issues with the complex we get people who are rude and do not want to help us, which is not right as we are paying to live in here,” added Naidoo.
Apart from the recent sewage leak, Moodley said their homes have not been maintained for years. She said: “There are taps that are broken and when we complain about it, nothing is done. I am only a tenant and the home should be maintained by the landlord, however, because I am staying alone I have spent my own money to try and maintain the home. My neighbours are currently living with broken cupboards and no way of getting it fixed.”
Ward 49 Councillor, Tino Pillay, who was made aware of the sewage overflow by the residents of the complex, said: “I received a text from a resident of the complex regarding the sewerage overflow. Upon my visit it was clear that there was a sewer blockage emanating from within the complex. I made a call to the managing agents who assured me they will attend to the matter immediately. A few minutes after my call a maintenance team came onsite to resolve the blockage.”
Cllr Pillay further added that the sewage issue was not a council related matter but a private one. “The only reason I got a quick response is solely due to the good relationship I have with the managing agents of the complex. A big thank you goes out to Mr Pranesh for taking my call and responding so efficiently,” said Cllr Pillay.
