An Athlone family say they’ve been living in popo for almost two months after the City of Cape Town failed to fix the sewage overflow on their property.
Aqeelah Abrahams from Parktown says her yard has been covered with human faeces since September.
“I have been calling, sending SMSes and contacting them on WhatsApp. In the beginning, they responded, but once I sent the pictures they ignored me,” Aqeelah says.
She says there are eight children on the property and a pensioner suffering from dementia.
“The smell is unbearable. It’s almost two months. Is the City going to foot the bill if anyone gets sick? I have been using Jeyes Fluid, Domestos, Pine everything,” Aqeelah says.
“They’d come out, do nothing, then leave. We had to flag them down on the road to inspect.”
Following a Daily Voice query yesterday, she says workers arrived and the problem was FINALLY sorted out.
“I logged so many complaints, but they came after your email was sent. Do we have to go to this extent every time to get service delivery?” the mom asks.
City spokesman Luthando Tyhalibongo says a leaking meter was previously sorted out at the house and yesterday, council workers fixed a sewer blockage.
“It should be noted that the sewer blockage was found to be in the boundary inspection chamber which is considered to be private land, but the team cleared the blockage and found that the cause was due to a build-up of fat and rags that had been dumped in the sewer,” Tyhalibongo added.