Sewerage hits the fan

A bulldozer works on the pipeline behind residential properties in Empangeni’s Palm Drive

Resident takes legal action

For over four months property owners in Palm Drive, Empangeni have been living with raw sewerage damaging their properties and spilling into their gardens. A pipe leak in the main effluent line that runs across open land has caused the effluent to dam up onto the properties. The Zululand Observer has been inundated with calls from irate residents who have ‘had enough’ of living with the smell of sewerage and pools of rotten water stagnating in their gardens. One family has watched helplessly as their back wall collapsed - leaving a gaping hole through which the temporary sewerage trench could be seen stretching into the distance.

‘Permanent repair’
City Engineer Jogie Naidoo said on Wednesday the bulldozing work being undertaken was the final exercise in the permanent repair of the pipe breakage and that residents could look forward to normality returning to their lives. ‘The work done this week was in effect tidying up over the repairs, which have been successful,’ said Naidoo. He said the municipality would shortly begin investigating and assessing the damage to properties caused by the leakage. Repairs would be done at no cost to the property owners. ‘We will also be investigating past problems we have had on this particular pipeline, dating back several years, to assess whether we need to do a complete pipe replacement to prevent future problems.’

Legal action
Meanwhile, one resident who’s property foundations have been damaged by the leaking sewerage over several months, has taken the matter to Legal Wise. Single grandmother and pensioner Lindiwe Makunga’s problem began in March this year. She has watched helplessly as sewerage water first seeped under her back fence boundary and then across her back lawn, turning it into a marsh. Her complaints to various municipal departments saw no assistance being rendered and she continued to watch as the filthy water progressed into her house foundations. At present the moisture is very obvious in her front garden and on her driveway. Her four year-old grandson is locked inside the house away from the pools of stagnant water. ‘This leak from the municipal sewerage tank situated on my back boundary has caused a gross environmental hazard to my family, as well as my two asthmatic grandchildren,’ says Makunga. ‘I have now opened a case at Legal Wise and am awaiting further instructions from them. Currently I am cataloging the damage to my property,’ she said.