Residents of Khutsong South Extension 2 in Ward 12 say they have been living with overflowing sewage since July, with repeated complaints to the Merafong City Local Municipality yet to result in a permanent solution.
The affected properties at 6820 and 6822 on the main road to Welverdiend have reportedly been surrounded by raw sewage for more than two months.
According to the Elderly People Movement for Change, recent video footage shows a sewer manhole at 6820 continuously overflowing, with sewage flowing through nearby yards and into an open veld.
At 6822, the wastewater has collected into large stagnant pools stretching from residential properties towards the roadside.
Residents say the situation has become a serious health and safety concern.
“Ward 12 is forgotten. At 6820 it flows every day, at 6822 it stands like a dam in front of our houses. Since July we have reference numbers but Merafong does not come. Children must jump over sewage to go to school,” said one resident.
The movement believes the problem is linked to a collapsed sewer line serving the lower section of Khutsong South Extension 2, adding that repeated temporary repairs have failed to resolve the issue.
It warned that the stagnant sewage poses risks of waterborne diseases, including cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid, while also creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and flies. The flooded area along the main road to Welverdiend has also raised concerns for motorists and pedestrians.
The organisation has called on Merafong City Local Municipality to urgently dispatch a sewer jetting and vacuum tanker team to clear the sewage, disinfect the affected area and provide residents with official job card details and repair timelines. It has also requested that hazardous areas be barricaded to protect children.
The movement said if no action is taken within 48 hours, it intends lodging formal complaints with the South African Human Rights Commission, the Gauteng MEC for Health and the Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements.
Mapepeza contacted Merafong City Local Municipality for comment. No response had been received at the time of publication.
