The government crushed the popular Mr Mabenzo business in South Africa’s richest city

The collapsing sewage system in Johannesburg has caused tremendous damage to many companies, including the popular Mr Mabenzo business.

Mr Mabenzo is a spare car parts business in Nancefield, Johannesburg, which specialises in Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

The company was one of the leading Mercedes-Benz spare parts suppliers and contractors in Johannesburg.

It was such a success that the owner, Mister Najam, became known as Mr Mabenzo due to the fame of the business.

However, a sewage crisis in the Nancefield and Eldorado Park area, where his business is based, has caused tremendous harm.

Speaking at a DA event in Johannesburg regarding service delivery, Najam said that he has operated his business for 26 years.

Initially, it was a thriving business in a growing business district. He said that Nancefield has a strong business community, which consumers loved.

However, a sewage problem in the area changed everything. It stopped customers from coming to the area as they had to drive through a lake of sewage.

In recent years, the environment has deteriorated so much that his own children and family can no longer visit the premises due to sewage runoff.

“The overpowering stench of the sewage makes it difficult to breathe or eat at work,” he told delegates at the event.

He said that he approached everyone, from President Cyril Ramaphosa to the mayor of Johannesburg and councillors, but to no avail.

The crisis has pushed him to the point of packing up, selling his property, and walking away from his business after decades of operation.

Mr Mabenzo is not an exception

The Mr Mabenzo business is no exception. Numerous businesses in the Nancefield and Eldorado Park area have closed due to the sewage disaster.

The DA’s mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, explained that the sewage spill was coming from Soweto, Lenasia, Eldorado Park, and surrounding areas.

Due to severe blockages, raw sewage overflows before reaching the treatment plant, polluting the surrounding areas.

Furthermore, the treatment plant itself is so damaged that any sewage it processes is returned as polluted grey water rather than clean water.

Despite repeated warnings brought to the City of Johannesburg’s attention, there has been no effective response.

Zille said that the sewage problem is causing damage to the business community and costing jobs, which the city can ill afford.

“When you look at the road we’ve just come along, you see other businesses, most of which are closed,” she said.

“The foul odour from the sewage makes the area unbearable for customers and workers alike, driving away trade.”

She added that infrastructure failure causes existing businesses to collapse or relocate to better-managed municipalities, destroying local jobs.

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Photos of the sewage problem

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