Bulawayo sitting on health time bomb

Temba Dube Senior Reporter
TORRENTIAL rains pounding Bulawayo have precipitated an environmental and humanitarian concern with sewer pipes in most parts of the city now overflowing. Chronicle toured Selborne Park, Makokoba, Emakhandeni, Gwabalanda, Cowdray Park, Mahatshula, Luveve, Pelandaba and Njube suburbs, where raw sewage was flowing with rain water on the streets.
Residents said every time there were heavy rains, the sewer system gets overloaded.

Vimbai Chikozha from Emakhandeni suburb said she had been putting up with the stench of raw sewage that was overflowing from two manholes at her home, since Thursday.

“It is unbearable and I have since stopped my children from playing outside. The sewage flowing from my house cuts across the street and is taken to the other end of the suburb by rainwater. This happens every time we have heavy rains,” she said.

Luveve residents, living near Inzwananzi Primary School, said the situation was a recipe for water borne diseases.
Mable Nyathi, 32 said the sewer system in the area has been overflowing for many days.

“Council workers fix it but a few hours later it would be flowing again. We are tired of the smell and the big fat flies that are invading our homes,” she said.

Pelandaba residents accused council of turning a blind eye while sewage was flowing on the streets.
“We have reported this particular manhole countless times. I think council workers do not know how to deal with the issue. We may soon have a cholera, typhoid or dysentery epidemic if they continue ignoring the problem,” fumed Bongani Moyo.

Pilate Msindo, the residents’ representative of Mahatshula A section said residents had been living with raw sewage since last week.
“We have reported to council several times to no avail. The reference number for my report is 4436. My main worry is that we may soon have cholera in the suburb. The rainwater is diluting the effluent and carrying it further that it would normally go,” he said.

Sony Phiri of Selborne Park, said: “I am tired of reporting the issue. The rain has made it worse. The smell is unbearable. If we succumb to cholera, it would not surprise me. This manhole has been overflowing for more than a year now.”

In Makokoba overflowing sewers that were fixed after Chronicle ran a story last month, have started flowing again.
Bulawayo provincial Environmental Management Agency manager, Decent Ndlovu has urged council to address the problem or face fines of up to $5,000 per overflowing sewer.

He said raw sewage was a serious threat to residents’ health as it contained many dangerous chemicals.
Ndlovu said items such as hair dyes, industrial chemicals and other dangerous substances were being disposed of in the sewers and tend to react with sewage to form dangerous compounds.

“Residents should therefore not take sewage flowing through their homes lightly. The effluent also exposes residents to waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid,” he said.

Comment could not be obtained from council’s senior public relations officer Nesisa Mpofu.