Sewer leakages in the Samora Machel informal settlement have become a daily challenge for residents who say pipe leaks are threatening not only their health but also their businesses.
And, they charge, city authorities take as long as three weeks to respond to their complaints.
Sanele Sigwegwe, assistant at a braai spot in the area, said his business was suffering because people did not want to buy food in an area where sewage was leaking out of pipes.
"People don't buy at my stall because it is smelly around here and they refuse to eat in a place like that," said an angry Sigwegwe.
Residents say the problem is not unusual and that sewers in the area have been leaking for weeks.
One, who did not want to be named, said he suspected the sewerage system was inferior.
The pipes, he believed, were overburdened because of the large number of people living in Samora Machel.
"The council needs to do something about this before we all get sick.
"And fixing the pipes is not going to make a difference. They must install new pipes," he said.
Residents reported children were experiencing skin rashes after playing near stagnant water.
Samora Machel ward councillor Monwabisi Mbaliswano said they were facing a huge challenge with the sewerage system.
He had been told that there were problems not only with the system, but also with the relevant employees.
The city's Eaton Oliver, responsible for sanitation in Mitchells Plain, said the pump station often filled up but that they were working to rectify the situation. - Cape Argus
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