Uitenhage businessman at wit’s end over sewage leak

A Uitenhage business had to fork out almost R10,000 hiring a honeysucker after a faulty septic tank flooded his premises with raw sewage.

A frustrated Gerrit de Jager, who wrote to Metro Matters, said he had since been battling with the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality to get the problem fixed.

He said the problem had been reported numerous times to the municipality and officials, including mayor Nqaba Bhanga — but no-one had come to fix it.

“The problem started early in January, and I don’t know how many times I have called the municipality call centre and they always told me that it was in my yard and not their problem despite me telling them the sewage is from their tank next to my premises,” he said.

De Jager, who runs an automotive business in the area, said his tenants were threatening not to pay rent because of the stench and he was flooded with complaints that his place of business and those of his tenants were unhygienic.

“It was becoming unbearable, especially with the temperatures so high,” he said.

“I was going to lose business because customers did not want to come in.

“I had to hire a honeysucker to drain the sewage, and now I’m still battling with the municipality to clean the dried waste in my premises,” he said.

DeJager said the tank belonged to the city and was outside his yard, but the sewage was running into his yard.

“I need them to reimburse the money I spent fixing their problem and I need them to collect the hardened waste left in my yard,” he said.

Municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki said they were aware of the damage.

“The query has been forwarded to the water and sanitation department to follow up.

“For now, we cannot give a detailed response until all facts have been established,” he said.

By end of the week, a team would have visited the site and more clarity would be available, he said.

Meanwhile, in Colchester, residents complained about fresh water gushing out from the bushes next to Longmarket Street.

Les Muller, who wrote to Metro Matters, said they had informed the municipality numerous times about the leak which he said had been gushing for months, but no action had been taken.

In December, The Herald reported that Colchester residents had watched helplessly for months as millions of litres of water went to waste, with the leak forming a dam big enough to swim in just after the Sundays River bridge.

Muller said: “They are very quick to send water bills but never come to fix the leaks.

“The water has been stagnant and we [are] worried about mosquitoes that are already a problem,” he said.

Another resident, Mike Smith, said they were paying big money for rates and expected the municipality to deliver.

“This is unacceptable,” he said.

“We pay lots of money with rates. Someone needs to account and come and fix the leak.”

Questions were sent to Mniki on Friday, but he failed to respond by print deadline on Sunday.

HeraldLIVE