Sub-council wants investment report

• Published date: 23 August 2023
• Author: Fouzia Van der Fort fouzia.vanderfort@acm.co.za
• Publication title: Plainsman

Chairman Solomon Philander said he would like to see councillors fighting for capital investment in “our infrastructure” within Mitchell’s Plain. He wants each line department to table a three or five-year plan, including capital investment projects which they could monitor and ensure is done

He was speaking during the tabling of the 20 complaint types for Sub-council 12, when ageing sewer infrastructure was raised, at their monthly meeting in Lentegeur on Thursday August 17.

According to this report, during July a “very small percentage of customer interactions” resulted in service requests.

Sewer-related, electricity and water and sanitation meter queries were logged but not closed.

Tafelsig councillors Washiela Harris, Norman Adonis and Mboniswa Chitha, councillor for Ward 35, said they had logged complaints of sewage overspills but nothing was done. Ms Harris said the spills were causing big holes.

Mr Adonis said he was waking up to threatening messages and complaints which he logged on August 1 but which had still not been addressed.

Mr Chitha said every other street in his ward was flooded.

Sub-council manager Johnson Fetu said there must be a plan for the unblocking of sewer pipes so that it would need to be done repeatedly.

“I want to check what is the long-term plan regarding the sewer pipes. There is ageing infrastructure. Collapsed pipes is a reflection of ageing infrastructure. There are overflows and no proper plans. There is a lack of coordination,” he said.

Avron Plaatjies, councillor for Ward 76, thanked officials for the department’s service, whom he called more than the person he lived with.

He told the Plainsman, when reporting on an overspill in Tania Crescent, The Farm, after the meeting, that he was knee deep in sewage – and filing reports daily.

He also confirmed with the official that there was a collapsed sewer pipe underground on the corner of AZ Berman and Highlands drives. Metres away, near Bottlebrush Street, across from the Metro South Education District (MSED) office, sewage was bubbling out.

Mayoral committee member for water and sanitation, Dr Zahid Badroodien, said as the emergency contractor’s traffic accommodation plan was approved they would set up an over-pumping system.

He said the two “very busy roads” made it difficult for them to put an end to the overflows.

“We were only able to set up the over-pumping system on Friday (August 18) after several attempts which put an end to the overflows,” he said.

The department...