Residents swamped by drain problem

RESIDENTS of Ward 1 in Duncan Village are fed up with the stormwater drain that leaks into their yards turning them into a swamp.

When the Dispatch visited the informal settlement on Ndende Street known as Area Three, the team had to balance on rocks to make it to Phumeza Sonjica’s shack. The whole area reeked of the rancid stench of the water which poses a health hazard to the community.

Sonjica said under the grass next to her shack there were three storm water drains; one of them leaks.

Sonjica said around midnight on Saturday her 10-year-old son who sleeps on the floor, woke her up saying water had entered their shack.

Sonjica showed the Dispatch the mattress her son was sleeping on and yesterday it was still dripping with water.

“This is not the first time this has happened. Even my wardrobe got damaged by this swamp. My shack is the only one with water inside this time around – in other shacks the water is gathered by the door and by the stream we had to create,” she said.

According to residents, the started leaking in 2009.

Another resident, Nondumiso Tsengwa, said she went to the councillor last year because faeces-filled water came into her house.

“They [BCM] did nothing about it. My three-year-old also has sores because of this,” she said.

Ward 1 councillor Mongezi Ngcaba

pipes said he had been trying to bring this to the attention of the BCM for years.

“I hope you can help us because it’s been years that we’ve been approaching the BCM with no response.”

Ngcaba also raised concerns about the health of the people.

“We’ve tried to put the most affected people on a list for houses. They’ve been waiting since 2009,” he said.

BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi said he would refer the matter to the relevant office today. —