Protests rock city suburbs
PROTESTS took place in Galeshewe, Roodepan, Homevale and Homevalley yesterday, where roads were barricaded with rocks and burning tyres.
Homevale Primary and Venus Primary schools in Homevale were closed yesterday, with parents complaining that both schools were overflowing with sewage for the past six months.
“It is hampering learning and teaching and poses a major safety risk to both educators and pupils,” the parents pointed out.
A local resident, Collin Baartman, complained that their yards and homes were also flooded with sewage due to blocked pipes.
“The infrastructure has never been upgraded so the system cannot handle the volume of sewage that is being produced,” said Baartman.
He added that the “sucking” of the drains only proved to be a temporary solution.
“The sewage is pushing up into our showers and kitchens. There is a feeding scheme that is affected by the smell. Residents dare not open their windows because of the bad stench and fear of contracting airborne diseases. The pipeline from Gogga Pump Station is leaking all the way towards the Homevale Waste Water Treatment plant.”
Baartman stated that a complaint had been laid with the Human Rights Commission.
“We have not received any updates on the case. We have also complained to the ward councillor and municipality without any luck. How can we be content living under these unbearable conditions and still be expected to pay for non-existent services? They can’t discriminate against us because it is a DA-led ward, we pay our rates and taxes every month to Sol Plaatje Municipality.”
Another resident, Abdul Halliday, added that his eight-year-old son had been off school for the whole week as he suffered from diarrhoea.
A spokesperson for Sol Plaatje Municipality, Thoko Riet, explained that the sewerage line leading towards Homevale Disposal had been blocked for quite some time.
“The 700 millimetre sewerage line was full of sand and there was a collapse on the same line in the veld behind Homestead. We managed to do the excavation and cleaned out the line. With doing that, the flow then became normal and the Homevalley residents were then relieved. We then threw chlorine yesterday to curb the smell.”
Meanwhile, Tyson Road and the road leading into Galeshewe from Barkly Road as well as Nobengula Road were also littered with rocks and burning tyres yesterday.
Police spokesperson, Captain Bashoabile Kale, said that most roads in Galeshewe were closed to traffic yesterday.
“Community Work Programme workers along with Expanded Public Works Programme workers and community health workers all joined forces in their demands for higher pay.
“The police escorted them to the Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) where they wanted to speak to the MEC for Coghsta. No arrests were made.”