SEWAGE MESS, RESIDENTS GATVOL

For Nomsa Mokone, 45, life on Daluxolo Street, Ivory Park Extension 2, has become unbearable. Mokone, who grew up in Tembisa, says she is “gatvol” with the persistent sewage problem that has troubled her home and her community. Speaking from her home, Mokone expressed frustration over the worsening conditions, saying, “I’m not enjoying my life at all. We can’t even use the toilet because it’s blocked and doesn’t flush. The sewage is everywhere.” This problem began on December 16, 2024.

The health of her children has been severely impacted, with frequent attacks of flu and diarrhoea becoming a worrying norm. “It’s affecting our health, especially the children. This is not a way to live,” she said. According to Mokone, she has raised the issue with her ward councillor, Stephen Makamu, who, in turn, claims he reported the matter to Johannesburg Water. However, she says no real action has been taken. “I am asking for help from the councillor. The least they could do is enter the yard and see the depth of this problem,” she pleaded.

The problem is not isolated to her home alone. The neighbouring house, also on the corner, faces the same dire situation. Another resident, Benjamin Maila, confirmed that he, too, has reported the issue multiple times to the City of Johannesburg, with no resolution in sight.
Residents say the constant sewage overflow has become a health hazard, a dignity crisis, and a sign of neglect. Community members are calling on the municipality to urgently intervene before the situation deteriorates further. Both the ward councillor and the Johannesburg Water Depot manager confirmed that an inspection was done and a team was sent to fix this situation.

The depot manager, Makgetha Paepae, raised concerns about the residents’ overpopulation, illegal connections, tampering with the sewer system and the unknown wastes thrown into the sewer systems as contributing factors to these repetitive blockages. “It’s something that is not going away anytime soon, but what we can assure is improvement in terms of our maintenance activities, so that at least we try to visit all these problematic lines that are giving us trouble continuously”, states Paepae. As the stench of sewage continues to choke the streets of Ivory Park, the question remains: how long must residents wait for their cries to be heard?