The buzzing of mosquitoes and the stench of sewage in the air while human waste runs down the street and mixes with hundreds of litres of fresh water to create a slushy dam of disease – this is what residents of NU10 in Motherwell have to contend with daily.
For six months, Sinogogo Street residents claim they have been subjected to a heavy stench and mosquito bites while the municipality drags its feet in dealing with the myriad problems.
A stone’s throw away from Sinogogo Street is where the Little Bright Stars daycare centre is situated.
Here, teacher Winnie Lugodlo, 33, and parents are equally concerned about the wellbeing of the children.
“The smell is unbearable. I cannot even take my children to go and play outside.
“I have to keep them indoors always because I do not want them to get exposed to airborne diseases,” she said.
Residents are contending with a blocked drain at the top of the street pumping sewage down the street and leaving a trail of unhappy families.
The sewage in turn mixes with fresh water emanating from a burst underground pipe – in the same street.
The polluted water eventually forms a small dam at the bottom of the street where mosquitoes now breed.
Resident Eunice Daweti, 57, said a few weeks ago a municipal truck was in the area but it simply dumped soil at the corner of Sakhomba and Sinogogo streets and left.
“I guess the purpose was to block the water but the plan obviously did not work. As I speak, you can see for yourself people – using wheelbarrows – helping themselves to that soil for their houses,” she said.
“Each time the [residents] go and report the problem, municipal officials often tell them the complaint is already in the system and that somebody would attend to it.”
Caroline Kilane, 48, voiced concerns that were echoed by other Motherwell residents, who said the problem had been ongoing.
“Can you personally live in this stench? It’s just impossible.
“I am further worried because of the fresh water being wasted,” Kilane said.
“The metro has been declared a water-scarce area.
“Now we have a situation where thousands of litres of water are wasted every day.
“How do you justify that? We phoned the municipality several times and they promised to come but to no avail.”
Kilane was concerned the municipality would bill them for the wasted water.
Nontobeko Trato, 57, said she noticed the problem just before Christmas.
“The issue of mosquitoes also affects us financially considering that we have to use money meant for bread for our children to buy Doom.
“I also noticed that my toilet has since been blocked more often. I now use my neighbour’s toilet,” she said.
Ward councillor Morgan Tshaka said the Motherwell area had a huge problem with blocked drains, but he disputed claims that fresh water had been running since December.
“Motherwell is growing and it’s a huge area.
“We have a challenge of blocked pipes every day.
“It’s a fallacy and lies to say the fresh water has been running since December,” he said.
Tshaka promised to go and verify the complaint as registered by residents.
Municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki did not respond to a request for comment.