Dirty river, drains pose hazard

THE stench and unhygienic conditions caused by the river flowing next to and under Boundary Road in Strand and the danger that one of the road’s untarred pavements poses to pedestrians – especially pupils attending four nearby schools – have angered residents on whose behalf the Strand Moslem Council has repeatedly complained to the city.

“This (situation) has been going on now for the past three years. People complain to us all the time and then we write a letter (complaining) to the council, but it falls on deaf ears,” said Strand Moslem Council secretary Fuad Behardien.

There are extremely high volumes of traffic and pedestrians on Boundary Road, including pupils who “have to literally dice with death” to get to school.

Only one side of the road has a tarred pavement that is congested with peak hour (7am-8am) pedestrians and pupils who are forced to cross the busy road at certain points, he pointed out.

“The health conditions are even more atrocious,” lamented Behardien, who said the city’s planting of reeds along the Soet River’s banks had resulted in stagnant water in which mosquitoes breed, with absenteeism and sinus problems among pupils soaring when the wind blows.

“In late summer, clouds of mosquitoes can be seen all along the river. The stench is gut-wrenching,” Behardien said, adding that people also dump animal bones there which worsens the stench, as well as discarded furniture and building rubble.

“These are the conditions our learners have to face daily on their way to school,” he said.

One resident, Leroy October, claimed the smell made children sick and “all the dirt clinging to the reeds gives off a very bad smell. It’s not nice to get up every morning to this smell.”

In response, mayoral committee member for transport and urban development Brett Herron said the city was working on interventions that would improve the overall conditions in the area.

He said the city’s transport and urban development authority’s local roads and stormwater depot in Strand was doing its utmost to clean and maintain the canals.

“There is a R10 million contract in place to address the stormwater challenges. But there is unfortunately no immediate resolution to the numerous ongoing challenges in this area, including sewage spills, water pollution, illegal dumping, etc.

“Reed clearing will be subject to the appointed contractor being able to get access to the drains.”