Sick of two-week sewage stench
IRATE business owners are seething over a two-week sewage spill allegedly left unattended by the eThekwini Municipality in Parlock, Durban.
Morgan Govender, whose company is directly affected, said the seeping pipe outside his company’s Donkin Road entrance was both an eyesore and a health hazard.
“It’s disgusting. Every morning you see primary school children and others trying to dodge the mess on the way to school or work,” he said.
“Vehicles driving past cause the water to splash up.”
Govender’s wife, Mervalene, said the overflow had taken place intermittently for 10 years and the municipality had still not solved the problem.
“This happens regularly. I became quite ill on Friday. The smell was terrible. I did not eat for the entire weekend as I was vomiting,” she said.
“The municipality has not come for two weeks and when they do fix it, the mess just happens again. People come in and out of our company yard, with the germs under their shoes or car tyres, and carry the germs home. We hose down the yard and the road every day, but this is ongoing,” said Mervalene.
She told POST that during last year’s heavy rainfall a spillage had damaged furniture, carpets and paperwork.
Staff had complained to the municipality often.
One employee, Vanessa Naidoo, said she feared taking germs home to her baby.
“I have to walk past it every morning and I want to vomit every time I see the mess. This is very unhygienic. I don’t want to transmit germs to my child,” she said.
“It is very sad to see little children trying to get past the sewage. Sometimes cars race past and splash the water on to the children,” said Naidoo.
Municipality spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa said a team of experts would evaluate and investigate.