Caught between government departments, Limpopo families live with raw sewage

Sewage pools in the yard of Eunice Senyelo. She says: “I am not sure when I last opened the windows. We are trying to adjust to living with the smell, but it’s not really practical. We need help please.” Photo: Bernard Chiguvare

Families in Lebowakgomo, a small town 45km south east of Polokwane, say they have tried everything since 2022 to get the government to stop sewage from flowing into their yards.

The houses in Unit E are rented from the Limpopo Department of Public Works. The residents, many who have lived there since the 1990s, say they can no longer open their windows or sit outside because of the stench.

When community leader Theo Letsoalo reported the matter to the Capricorn District Municipality in February 2022, he was referred to the department of Public Works.

When Public Works failed to fix the problem, Letsoalo wrote to the office of the Public Protector (PP), who wrote to the department on 5 April 2022.

Letsoalo also approached the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), who inquired on 6 September 2022 why the sewage problem had not been resolved.

On 30 September 2022, Public Works wrote a letter to Letsoalo informing him it had received the correspondence from the PP and SAHRC offices. The letter said the matter was with the district municipality and the department had been “reliably informed that the site has been handed over to the contractor and we are hoping that the actual work will start soon”.

Municipal spokesperson Jabu Masondo said a contractor is on site to fix problems with the mainline sewer pipeline, but Public Works is responsible for the houses’ drains.

Letsoalo says they suspect that there is a blockage in the main sewer and they believe they have identified where it is. They have informed the municipality and directed them to the site. Officials have been to inspect, but nothing has been fixed.

Limpopo Department of Public Works and Infrastructure media liaison officer Emmanuel Mongwe has not replied to our repeated attempts to get comment.

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