The community of Merebank, south of Durban, is battling with a severe sewage problem that has turned their yards into dams of waste.
This has not only made their daily life unbearable but it also means they are unable to sell their homes, with property prices plummeting as the sewage level rises.
Pastor Charmain Govender said the residents were frustrated as they have lived with this problem for decades.
“I have tried many times to call on eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality officials to fix the problem but none of them attend to the crisis. They once promised to install cameras to monitor the flooding of the sewer to our homes but it has never happened,” she said.
“This week they came to fix my neighbour’s sewers but it caused mine to burst.”
Resident Bashnee Govender pointed out that exposure to the sewage has worsened her health, especially her type 2 diabetes.
“I am sick as we speak because of the smell. I really don’t know how we are going to get help for my family because the municipality is not helping,” she said.
DA councillor Sthembiso Ngema, who visited the area, confirmed that the situation was dire with responsible officials failing to address the crisis.
The eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality’s response to the issue has been to request specific addresses of areas facing sewerage problems.
However, residents are calling for urgent and comprehensive action to resolve the ongoing sewage crisis that is impacting the lives and properties of all residents.
Pictured above: Merebank residents face a sewage crisis on their properties
Image source: Twitter
