Chronicle Editor
Nobukhosi Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
SEWER bursts continue to plague some homes in Bulawayo, leaving residents to endure the unpleasant presence of human waste, a situation that has resulted in councillors calling for urgent action to address the scourge.
Speaking at a recent Full Council meeting, councillors passionately voiced their concerns and urged the Environmental Management and Engineering Committee of the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to tackle the prevalent problem head-on.
During the council meeting, councillors expressed their disappointment about the ongoing sewer issues that have become a major cause for concern within communities. They implored the Environmental Management and Engineering Committee to roll up their sleeves and prioritise the repairs needed to address the pressing matter.
Ward Three councillor, Clr Mxolisi Mahlangu, said residents have expressed concern over sewage hotspots in the city and demanded to know the council’s plan to deal with the problem.
“I have two houses in Mahatshula with burst sewers and none of them have been attended to. For the first house it’s been 17 days now and the sewage has filled the bath tubs and the toilet. For the second house, it has been a week, I have been reporting continuously but to date nothing has been done,” he said.
Clr Mahlangu said when reporting such cases to the Bulawayo City Council, they are only given reference numbers for the complaints but beyond that, nothing is done to solve the prevailing matters.
“As councillors, residents label us as incompetent and swear at us because nothing will have been done to solve the matters they present to us, their councillors,” he said.
He urged the committee to visit the affected residents and come up with lasting solutions. Clr Suzan Sithole said Emakhandeni has the same problems as every street and every trench in the suburb is covered in sewage.
“It’s been two weeks since I had a tour with the engineering committee at Emakhandeni and they saw the state of the suburb but nothing has been done to solve the problems faced by the suburb,” she said.
Clr Greater Gumede of Ward 16 also noted that houses at Luveve 4 are affected by sewer bursts and that the residents live in fear that they might get affected by a diarrhoea outbreak.
“Sewage is a problem and they are now inside people’s houses and in toilets. Residents say they have lost all hope and they don’t think the issue will be solved anytime soon, they now live in fear of a diarrhoea outbreak,” she said.
Clr Aleck Ndlovu reiterated noting that the sewer issues has become abnormal and the city was now a health hazard.
“We appear to be normalising what is abnormal, to find sewage on the surface of where people live is totally unacceptable and abnormal. We are hearing reports of the cholera outbreak and I think very soon, we are not going to be spared. If the problems faced are due to poor design, poor pipe laying or old pipes, let us deal with those so that we save the city from the tragedy that we are facing,” he said.
Responding to councillors’ grievances, chairperson of the Environmental Management and Engineering Committee Clr Royini Sekete acknowledged that the sewer issue was a thorn in the flesh in Bulawayo.
“After the commissioning of eight vehicles I had hope that things will go smoothly but due to the prevalent issues, I will urge the directors to pull up their socks. I think we must do awareness campaigns to conscientise residents to be careful of what they throw in the drains to avoid sewer blockages and bursts,” said Clr Sekete.
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