'We are sick from living with pools of raw sewage'

"We need help. We can’t keep living like this." The desperate plea echoes through the stench-filled streets of Palm Springs, a residential area in the Vaal where 65-year-old Fikile and her neighbours are trapped in unbearable living conditions that pose serious health risks.

Raw sewage has transformed their streets into hazardous streams, forcing them to rely on bricks and planks to navigate their neighbourhoods.

"When I walk out of my house, the first thing I encounter [on the streets] are faeces," Fikile told Sowetan during our visit in the area last week.  She asked for her surname not to be used. 

This is the daily reality for many communities in Palm Springs, Evaton and Small Farms in the Emfuleni municipality, despite the local authority saying it had spent more than R200m over the past five financial years to fix sewer leaks.

Pearl Nkosi, who lives on the same street, shares Fikile’s anguish.

"We’ve been pleading for help from the municipality. Some of us have children with birth defects. I have a child who has asthma. Now we don't allow the children to play on the streets. Even worse, sewage runs into our yards," Nkosi said.

Emfuleni’s crumbling wastewater system and growing service delivery concerns have led to years of public frustration over sewer blockages and deteriorating water quality.

CEO of the Council for the Built Environment, Dr Msizi Myeza, said the scale of the crisis demands urgent national attention.

He said the sewage crisis in Emfuleni poses serious health risks and should be “treated as a national environmental emergency and an infringement of basic human rights”.

"The environmental ramifications of sewage running through the streets of Emfuleni have severe health impacts for locals. Sewage spills release harmful gases like hydrogen sulphide and methane, which severely endanger human health," said Myeza.

Gauteng DA MPL Kingsol Chabalala has accused the provincial department of Cogta of turning a blind eye to the problem, despite multiple formal appeals by the party for urgent intervention.

Chabalala warned that if the matter was not addressed, it would escalate it to the Human Rights Commission as inefficient sanitation is a violation of human rights.

Municipality spokesperson Makhosonke Sangweni said the municipality had publicly acknowledged that its infrastructure was in poor condition, as much of it is old, often leading to sporadic and frequent instances of pipe collapses.

He said addressing sewer challenges in the area remained a priority. In the past five years, the water and sanitation unit received an average of 16,000 work requests each year.

He said there had been a notable improvement in resolving these since interventions under section 63 of the Water Services Act were implemented.

 “Before additional resources were brought in under section 63 intervention, we were only completing 25% of these requests,” he said. “That number has improved to 68%.”

Sangweni said Emfuleni manages over 8,000km of water and sanitation networks, three wastewater treatment plants, and 45 sewer pump stations. In the past five years, it had resolved over 80,000 consumer requests, he said.

However, residents say those efforts have yet to yield meaningful results.

During Sowetan's visit, the stench hung heavy in the air, with signs of neglect and decay everywhere. Roads are riddled with massive potholes, forcing drivers to swerve or crawl at a snail’s pace. There was illegal dumping in many spots within the townships.

In Sebokeng Zone 6 Extension 12, Jacob Mofokeng has been living with a pool of raw sewage outside his home since January. The spillage at his property was created after the work by the city to unblock a manhole at his neighbour's home. 

"It smells bad here. Every two days we have to wash our walls," he said.

"I pay R1,200 every month for rates and services, but I cannot even get help when I need it. 

"We tried everything since January; an official from the municipality came here on February 24 and  took pictures of the sewage but since then, nothing has been done."

Granny Nhlapo, who on January 2022 opened a fast food outlet on Cradock Road in Evaton, was forced to close her business in December 2023 because of the sewage problem in the area.

Palm Springs resident Zandile Dube said she developed sores and skin infections from prolonged exposure to raw sewage in her yard.

“I went to a clinic and was told it’s because of the environment I live in,” Dube said.

“I’ve complained so many times, but nothing changes.”

National department of health spokesperson Foster Mohale also warned that long-term sewage exposure could result in life-threatening diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever due to the presence of harmful pathogens and chemicals. – Additional reporting by Herman Moloi

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