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CAREFUL STEPS: Lumkile Thai slowly walks on rocks across his neighbour's yard in Bethulie, Free State.

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RESIDENTS of Bethulie in the Free State have lost hope that the government will rescue them from having daily to inhale the heavy stench coming from a leaking.

They told Sowetan that they had lost count of how many complaints they had made with the Kopanong local municipality about a leaking manhole in their neighbourhood.

Last week the municipality attempted to fix the manhole after Sowetan exposed the situation.

The officials left without fixing it.

During Sowetan's second visit to the area at the weekend the manhole had not yet been fixed.

Two houses, numbered 1332 and 1333, were submerged in sewage that had risen to knee-height.

This time only two houses were flooded and residents claimed that the sewage was "better".

They complained that every week, more than 10 houses were flooded by sewage.

They had placed rocks in their yards to use as steps to their houses.

Thobeka Motubatsi, who lives a street away from where the sewage flows, said the manhole had robbed them of services from the municipality.

"Our street is flooded because of that manhole. The sewage flows into our houses and stops at our street. On April 17, when I went to work, an ambulance could not pick me up at my house because our street was flooded.

"The municipality no longer collects garbage from our houses because their tractor can't access this flooded street," Motubatsi said.

Anna Geld, whose yard contains the leaking manhole, said she had lost count of how many times municipal employees had attempted to fix the manhole, including last week.

"They failed to fix it. I don't know what we must do in order to get it fixed. I know that they will come again and not provide any solution to the problem," Geld said.

Kopanong local municipality mayor Xolile Matwa apologised to the residents and promised that the manhole would be fixed "as soon as possible".

"A tender has been issued and we will appoint a credible company to fix the manhole. Companies we appointed in the past did not have the capacity to fix the manhole," Matwa said. - ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Sun May 19 21:06:22 SAST 2013 ::

Jun 11, 2012

Shredder

So this is this story that you refused to publish last week and say we must buy the newspaper. Anyway, I saw it the same day on TV.
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Jun 11, 2012

Hoshpelepelewa26Zikuphi

On April 17, when I went to work, an ambulance could not pick me up at my house because our street was flooded.
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Yoyoyoooo the goes my tax money. and when i call for an ambulance there will be not available because is going to fetch a staff member at home.
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Jun 11, 2012

OPZAZA

Two houses, numbered 1332 and 1333, were submerged in sewage that had risen to knee-height.
They had placed rocks in their yards to use as steps to their houses.
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These 2 sentences are contradicting each other. Is it possible to use rocks as steps when the sewage had risen to knee-height?
Anyway, i hope the municipality solve the problem.
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Jun 11, 2012

Shredder

@OPZAZA - "Is it possible to use rocks as steps when the sewage had risen to knee-height? "

Yes it is possible, it depends on the size of the rock. Anyway, they are just exaggerating. The door step would not be visible if that were true.
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Jun 11, 2012

oldlady5

Uhm, here in Gauteng, if the manhole is in your yard, it is your responsibility, not the municipality's.
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Jun 11, 2012

maneater

this is just wrong you cannot. we learn everyday that the parliamentarians spen a fortune staying at hotels because their houses are renovated, and we talk of a fresh coat of paint, now we expect these peolple to stay i these conditions. no man this cannot be!!!
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Jun 11, 2012

simplykayLECOWSA

Shredder
Yes it is possible, it depends on the size of the rock


lol gna le leswika la go fihla matolong o yo le kuka bjang le gna o yo le topa kok kae


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Jun 11, 2012

truthhurt

Fail!
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Jun 11, 2012

Shredder

@simplykayLECOWSA - "ol gna le leswika la go fihla matolong o yo le kuka bjang le gna o yo le topa kok kae'

I was merely answering the guy that it is possible. But to answer you; yes a teng matlapa magolo, o tla berekisa gandaganda go le kuka boss. What's wrong with people's thinking abilities today? Anyway, I said the story has been exaggerated.
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Jun 11, 2012

simplykayLECOWSA

lol @ shredder lol and the kantaganda is gonna paid by the municipality lol

dats the service delivery my brather
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