Sewage spillages not only threaten health but also ecosystem

Residents from Mbaleni, Hamagidi, and Makwarela Extension 3, next to Mutete Mall, have been dealing with smelly, running sewage for a long time, which they say poses serious health concerns for everyone.

On Sunday, 26 November, Vhamusanda Thithomelwi Mphaphuli, the traditional leader of Mbaleni village, and his communities met to discuss the sewage situation once again, which they claim has been going on for nearly four years now.

Mphaphuli told the media that the sewer line had burst near the Makwarela Stadium, causing sewage to flow into the storm-water drainage system, into the Lukunde and Mvudi Rivers, and from there into the Nandoni Dam, which is a source of water in Vhembe.

“We are worried that our communities are drinking polluted water and could become very sick, or even die. We have had several meetings with the former executive mayor of Vhembe District Municipality (VDM), Dowelani Nenguda, his technical manager, and Wiseman Maluleke, but they took us from pillar to post and nothing came from it,” said Mphaphuli.

Mr Joseph Raligidima, a resident at Mbaleni village near Makwarela, said that reporting their situation to the media was their last resort in an effort to get the VDM, who is the water-services authority, to solve the sewage spillages.

After the Limpopo Mirror’s enquiry about the situation to the VDM’s spokesperson, Mr Matodzi Ralushai, he confirmed that the district municipality’s technical services team was sent out to attend to the sewage spillages along the Lukunde River. “The team is on site as we speak and is expected to be done with fixing the pipes later this week,” he said.

Date:09 December 2023

By: Silas Nduvheni

Read: 1681