Residents in Khayelitsha’s Makhaza area navigate their way through streams of raw sewage Gangsters are demanding up to R10,000 from Cape Town municipal workers before they are allowed to enter certain areas to fix burst pipes and sewage overflows. But with the city rightfully refusing to bow the knee to gang extortion, poor residents are left paying the ultimate price as poo and water leakages continue to flow through their communities — and have done so for far too long. Cape Town’s water and sanitation political head Dr Zahid Badroodien said the problem, which brings a stomach-churning smell so bad that families keep their windows and doors shut even in the blazing summer heat, was a big headache keeping him awake at night.
“And the headache will only go away,” he said, “if the areas are safe enough for my team to go in to fix what needs to be fixed.” He said the city has identified “red zones” where crime is at its absolute worst. “Red zones” are areas municipal officials avoid because they are too dangerous. “Our staff cannot carry out essential repairs in these areas without putting their lives at risk,” Badroodien toldIOLon Monday.
The crisis is playing out against the backdrop of ongoing sewage overflows and low water pressure in the metro’s informal settlements. Residents said in these areas, taps often run dry for hours on end. When anIOLnews team visited Makhaza, Khayelitsha, earlier this month, residents were forced to wade through knee-deep rivers of what looked like raw sewage. A strong, unbearable stench clung to the air as blocked drains flooded streets and spilled into homes.
