Tshwane sewage spills left unrepaired for months
Despite multiple complaints by residents, there has been no action or response from the City of Tshwane
The City of Tshwane's sewage situation has come under scrutiny following two significant spills in North Pretoria that went unaddressed for months, despite numerous complaints from residents. Raymond Ditsi, a DA ward candidate councillor and community leader, expressed his concern over the ongoing issue in Ribbon Street, where the smell is unbearable and residents cannot even open their windows.
Another neglected site is Bester Park, located between Strydom and Boschoff Roads at The Orchards extension 11, which was flooded by sewage water. Ditsi stated that residents have filed multiple complaints without receiving any response or action from the city, calling the repeated petitions a waste of time. Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Jack Bloom revealed that sewage spills are primarily caused by broken pipes that have not been maintained for years, and failing wastewater treatment plants.
The Green Drop Report indicates that the city's wastewater treatment performance has plummeted from 82% in 2013 to a concerning 33.8%. Bloom emphasized that sewage discharges are in fact a criminal offense, with his department issuing directives and resorting to criminal charges only after exhausting all other interventions. A farmer from Hammanskraal, Theunis Vogel, was forced to take legal action after his 11th maize harvest was destroyed by sewage spills, resulting in a loss valued at R250,000.
He recounted how his water supply was cut off from seven days a week to four before a court order restored it to six days.
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