For months, raw sewage has flowed through the streets of Makeleketla in Winburg, creating a hazardous and unbearable living environment. Residents report being confined to their homes by a pervasive stench and fear a looming health crisis, with the situation reaching its worst during the recent rainy Christmas holidays.
According to the community, the current spillages began around September of last year, but they describe the problem as a chronic, long-standing failure. The crisis is concentrated on two streets, Roton Row and Riverside, where children can no longer play outside.
“Our kids can’t play and in our houses the houses are smelling bad. We can’t speak or eat or do anything because of the smell,” one resident said. “We are afraid that we are going to catch TB or any kind of sickness.”
For some, the disaster has moved from the streets into their homes. “The sewage enters our houses, especially when it’s raining. We have to use buckets to take it out,” another homeowner explained, noting that flat foundations make their properties especially vulnerable to flooding by the contaminated water. Residents say reported the issues repeatedly to the Masilonyana Local Municipality, with only temporary fixes resulting.
The Masilonyana Local Municipality acknowledges the crisis. A municipal spokesperson confirmed the community’s frustrations, admitting to experiencing “response challenges” despite a maintenance team that aims to address spillage reports within eight hours.
The spokesperson cited aging infrastructure as a core problem and outlined longer-term plans. “The municipality has made plans… one which comes to mind is the upgrading of the outfall sewer network in Winburg,” the spokesperson stated, indicating a project to increase capacity is currently 92% complete.
This infrastructure project offers a glimmer of hope for a small town that, as the spokesperson noted, has for years been plagued by water shortages and failing systems. However, for the residents of Makeleketla, who are currently living with the toxic reality of sewage in their streets and homes, any permanent solution cannot come soon enough. They continue to call on municipal officials to deliver on the promise of a functioning, healthy community.