KIMBERLEY, Northern Cape — Residents of Lethabo Park in Roodepan are demanding immediate intervention from local authorities as a severe Kimberley sewage crisis continues to flood their streets and homes with untreated waste. Community members accuse the Sol Plaatje Municipality of failing to resolve the sanitation disaster, which they say has subjected them to inhumane living conditions for several years.
According to locals, raw effluent routinely flows into their properties, creating unbearable stenches and severe health hazards. While some homes are actively soaking in spillages, the local government’s primary mitigation effort has been providing sand for residents to manually fill their flooded yards—a temporary measure the community argues is entirely ineffective against the volume of waste.
Shaine Snyder, a local resident who operates a non-profit organization (NPO) dedicated to cooking and feeding the community, highlighted the extreme difficulty of providing social services in such a hazardous environment. Snyder, expressed deep frustration over the apparent lack of support from both local councilors and municipal officials.
“We are just not receiving the assistance from the councilor or the municipality, nor are they even considering how we have to live in this disaster,” Snyder noted, pointing out that children are frequently forced to play in contaminated water. The resulting health crisis is reportedly causing widespread illness, with the unbearable stench and unsanitary conditions disproportionately affecting the area’s elderly and sick populations. Another resident, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that years of complaints have yielded no permanent relief.
In response to the mounting pressure, the Sol Plaatje Municipality explained that extensive population growth around Roodepan, including Lethabo Park, necessitated the critical upgrading of two major pump stations. However, municipal officials confirmed that sanitation work in the area was abruptly halted due to the poor performance of the appointed contractor.
Acting swiftly, the municipality terminated the underperforming contractor’s agreement. Officials state they are currently finalizing the supply chain processes required to appoint a new service provider to complete the remaining 20% of the outstanding infrastructure scope.
In the interim, the municipality has deployed temporary pumps to manage the overflow, though they acknowledge these measures may not be fully adequate for the current crisis levels. To further mitigate the spillages, the local government claims to be persistently deploying its best available machinery, including high-pressure jetting equipment, to clear the blockages.
While the municipality maintains that it is prioritizing the community’s well-being and working toward a permanent fix, Lethabo Park residents continue to call for swift, decisive action to end their ongoing sanitation nightmare.