ON the way home after work, the air normally is filled with the smells of home cooked meals, but for residents of Mullins Street, Mosel, it’s a matter of holding your breath as the stench of an overflowing sewer spoils it all.
One of the residents, Yusuf Mohamed, said they are very annoyed about the situation, especially as it is not being attended to by municipal authorities.
“I and several of the neighbours in Mullins Street have been reporting this sewer overflowing in our street since March this year,” said Mohamed.
“It is disgusting and a health hazard. Children are playing in the streets and some of the kids have blisters and sores, it might be bacterial infections from the sewerage water.
“There were times when the faeces were floating down the street!
Mohamed reported the problem to the municipal call centre on March 14th, April 16th, June 5th and June 16th. The reference numbers are: 1044469, 1061139 and 1065018.
These are apart from the complaints from other residents in Mullins Street who have also reported the overflowing of the sewer.
“I am being told that the problem is not attended to owing to the municipal strike. But there was no strike in March, April or earlier during June.”
Lack of oversight
According to Mohamed a contractor once came out but the situation is unchanged.
“One of the main issues with service delivery is the lack of oversight when there is a problem being attended to.
“Contractors come out, do the job, claim and then after three months the same problem arises. The contractors again come and so it goes on and on and the municipal fiscal suitcases are emptied. Why can’t jobs be done first time right with no comebacks!
“We really hope that contractors will come and fix the drain urgently. This stench is terrible,” said Mohamed.
According to Milinda Ferreira from the Ward 51 office, they are well aware of the problem and are concerned that it has not yet been repaired.
