People in a South African township forced to live surrounded by sewage while clean water goes to waste
Residents in the Mohlakeng township are forced to live in conditions hazardous to their health as raw sewage flows through the streets.
This is the warning from Jade Miller, a member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, who said the situation has become untenable.
Mohlakeng is a township located about 7 kilometres south of Randfontein and 38 kilometres west of Johannesburg in Gauteng.
The township is home to a large share of the Randfontein population and has grown significantly over the last two decades.
However, despite its importance in the region, the Mohlakeng township has been beset with service delivery problems. Sewage and clean water are two examples.
Miller said that residents of Mohlakeng Extension Four and Five must walk through raw sewage, while clean drinking water is being lost due to leaking infrastructure.
“To get in and out of their homes, residents are forced to lay down wooden boards, while children play in the raw sewage,” she said.
“Raw sewage flowing through residential areas poses a public health risk and should not be treated as merely an inconvenience or an unpleasant smell.”
She said that this is only one of the many failures of the current government which they have encountered while visiting Mohlakeng.
“We observed multiple sewage leaks in a small area, including in Sekati, Ganyane and Ndogeni Streets,” Miller said.
“The sheer number of sewage leaks in such a small area is concerning and points to a serious failure to maintain basic municipal infrastructure.”
“Children should be able to play outside their homes without parents worrying about them stepping in or falling into raw sewage.”
“Residents in the Mohlakeng township should not have to walk through sewage to get to and from their homes.”
Miller said the unnecessary loss of clean water adds to residents’ frustration in this township.
“In Biyane Street, a freshwater leak has been flowing for so long that the escaping water has damaged the tarred road and carved a visible pathway through it,” she said.
This is unacceptable when communities across Rand West City frequently experience water interruptions, and residents are repeatedly expected to conserve water.
“Every litre of clean water lost through a municipal leak should be reaching residents’ taps,” she said.
Mohlakeng township photos
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The 30% pass rate has delivered… now it applies everywhere 30% or less functionality.
What beats commonsense is that these pigs are voted for in elections every election , that is insanity on a mass scale.