Uitenhage residents still waiting for infrastructure to fix sewage problem

“We have heard it all before, ‘we will send a team, we are working on it’, yet here we are ankle deep in sh*t.”

Irate Tambo Village residents have reiterated their concerns raised at the weekend regarding ongoing sewerage leaks in the area, which according to resident Henry Bosak always receives the same response but little action.

Bosak was referring to a comment made by mayoral committee member for infrastructure and engineering Andile Lungisa, who upon being informed — on Sunday — about the sewage streaming down 24th Avenue and seeping into a drain at James Ndululo Primary School, said he would dispatch a team to attend to the problem.

However, after revisiting the site on Thursday, The Herald was informed that the supposed team had yet to arrive.

Asked about the reasons for the delay, despite the commitment made, Lungisa said: “I don't know why. I will check with the team and find out the reason for the delay. After that I will send a team out ... sometimes these guys get confused between a storm [water] drain leak and a sewerage leak.”

James Ndululo Primary School school governing body chair Nono Douw said: “The metro infrastructure political boss promised to fix this, but it is still there.

“Pupils have not been on the property while renovations are under way but they used to get sick from the sewage before they were moved and the concern is the problem will still be there when they return early in the new year,” Douw said.

24th Avenue resident Joseph Arends had said at the weekend that the sewerage leaks had been an ongoing problem since he moved into the street in 1991.