RESIDENTS of Mshongoville in Thabong in Welkom, Free State, have been terrorised by a horrible kak smell and health hazards since January 2022.
About 10 houses are flooding in kak due to an uncontrollable sewage pill, and the situation has also hit Odendaalsrus and Meloding in Virginia.
Gogo Germina Mashenini (89) and Lefuma Mokone (73) are some of the victims whose lives are in danger.
When the SunTeam visited gogo Germina, who lives with her grandson Nkosinathi Mashenini, she looked demoralised, sick and tired.
“When we flush the toilet inside the house, the sewage comes back. We always suffer from a headache, flu and sinuses. Our lives are in danger. We live with the fear that this house might collapse on us due to moist. My yard is now a wetland. Several attempts have been made to the Matjhabeng Local Municipality, with no success,” she said.
Lefuma said zama zamas had broken the mine halls.
“We are suffering as a result of people who don’t care. But our municipality has done nothing to rescue us. We call for provincial intervention.”
Forum 4 Service Delivery in Lejweleputswa has asked the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate.
National organiser Thebe Ntsane said a sewage spill posed a health hazard to residents and was damaging houses.
Free State commission chairman Thabang Kheswa has confirmed that the complaints were received and registered.
At the time of publishing, Matjhabeng Mayor Thanduxolo Khalipha had not yet responded to our queries.
