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Health nightmare

TERRIBLE CONDITIONS: Lerato Phawe plays near the dumping ground which poses a health hazard to local residents. Pic. Mbuzeni Zulu. 21/01/07. © Sowetan.
TERRIBLE CONDITIONS: Lerato Phawe plays near the dumping ground which poses a health hazard to local residents. Pic. Mbuzeni Zulu. 21/01/07. © Sowetan.

Pertunia Ratsatsi

Pertunia Ratsatsi

What was once a decent home in Difateng section, Tembisa, has lost its lustre and life has become a nightmare for its occupants - a family of three.

The house is situated next to an open space, which has been turned into a dumping ground and dagga field.

The area now poses a health hazard and the stench is unbearable. Further, the area is infested with rodents and it is feared that the water - that flows freely down the street from a damaged underground pipe - has become toxic.

Nobody knows who is growing the dagga but Sowetan was told that some pupils hang around the area after school and pluck a few leaves of the dagga for their own use.

However, residents are scared to alert the police about the dagga field because they believe it is being grown by gangsters.

Peggy Phawe, 62, who lives near the dumping ground, said; "We have lived with this problem for more than a year now and we have had enough.

"The problem began with leaking pipes that cause the water to flow all over. We are now finding it difficult to go in and out of our homes because of the water.

"I have reported this problem to the municipality from as far back as early last year but nothing has been done.

"Refuse removal trucks come to this area only once in three months and people are being robbed at that open space."

Local councillor Eliot Tekane said: "We are aware of the problems in that section and we are doing our best to solve them. We suspect that the underground water comes from leaking pipes in nearby buildings. We need to bring in building inspectors before we can do anything."

He said the roads would only be repaired after the pipes were fixed.

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