Sewage spill nightmare at Helenvale school
Hillcrest Primary School staff and pupils in Helenvale are at their wit’s end, having to teach with a terrible stench from sewage flowing alongside the school from a blocked drain for the past month.
The situation is so bad that a mother wanted to take her daughter out of school after the child fell into the sewage on her way home.
School governing body chair Nicolette van Rensburg said the school had to replace the foundation phase pupil’s uniform.
“The mother wanted to deregister the child and register her at another school.
“After many washes, she could not get the odour out of the uniform, and we had to make a plan to keep her here.”
She said the blocked drain had been reported to the municipality several times, but noone had ever come to fix it.
“There is no drain cover. When the wind blows, it becomes unbearable for the teachers and pupils.
“The children cannot play outside when it is break time because of the stench.
“There is a disconnect in this situation. How can it be acceptable for an institution where we teach children to become responsible, productive citizens, to operate in a sewageinfested environment?”
She said the blocked drain and flowing sewage posed a health risk.
“The principal has to take pupils to the clinic more than once a week. They struggle with upper respiratory infections and the stench could be a contributing factor.
“We appeal to the municipality to do something about this blocked drain.
“It is not the first time that this has happened.
“Many people such as officials from the department of education visit our school and then they must be faced with overflowing sewage.
“The staff cannot wash their cars because they drive through sewage daily.
“If the school suffers because of it, the community suffers as well.”
A staff member who had accompanied a pupil home recently, also fell into the sewage.
“I guided the pupil on how to walk in order not to fall and then I had the misfortune to fall,” the woman said.
“I had to go home to change my clothes. I am not happy. Something needs to be done urgently.”
Ward councillor Pieter Hermaans said he was aware of the blocked drain outside the school.
“It was reported two months ago. There is no cover on the drain and the children throw stones into it.
“I will send the contractor to fix the drain,” he said.