Tinaani Nyabereka
Gweru-Residents of Mtapa Section 6 in Ward 6 are sitting on a health time bomb as raw sewer is flowing in streets, seeping into the foundations of many houses.
The blockage has since disturbed the current maintenance work of water drainages in the areas, after council workers reportedly laid down tools last week when they approached the blockage.
Information obtained by TellZim News however revealed that at some point a group of the council plumbers once came to attend the blockage a few months ago, but refused to work on the overwhelmed septic tanks after demanding that the affected residents were supposed to contribute US$30 dollars per household to pay to them to work.
One of the affected residents Epiphania Gwena said, the situation was unbearable as children were picking plastic bottles and playing around the flooded drains.
“The situation here in Mtapa section 6 is very bad. Raw sewer is flowing and flooding our yards, some of the water is now seeping into our home foundations. We are living in fear for our lives because we may record cases of cholera or typhoid .This is now the third week reporting to council and nothing has been done.
“We once lodged a complaint with the City of Gweru engineering department but they didn’t do much, the solution only lasted for a few days as of last month and the blockage started again. The major challenge I have as a resident is that the whole waste accumulates in front of my house. I can’t even open the door, sometimes we even fail to cross the front drainage when flooded.
“Cooking outside is now hard for me when there are power cuts as my open fire place is affected. The smell of raw waste is unbearable and flies are all over the place. We need serious attention on this sewer,” she added.
Another resident, who identified herself as Gogo Matsvaira added that, at some point she failed to prepare her supper as the compound was flooded with waste.
“I once slept on an empty stomach after failing to prepare food outside as my yard was flooded with sewer water up to the doorstep. We cannot even bask for the sun especially during winter due to the disturbing smell. We are always knocking at Councillor Giwa’s door and we don’t blame him, he has been doing his part and reporting the matter but we feel management has let us down.
“We urgently need help before we die of cholera as we have small children and the elderly here. I don’t know what council thinks about this issue,” she added.
Chairperson for Mtapa’ s Mirror community group, Kennedy Muka said he was pained by the situation of the section 6 residents who are sitting on a health time bomb.
“We are appealing to Gweru council to come and attend to this blockage for good because the lives of people are at danger. We understand the economy is not doing well but making residents to pay for the blockage has become a burden. We once heard reports that some plumbers from council came demanding US $30 from these poor people; where can these poor people get such an amount of money? Some of them don’t work and some are our elderly mothers and fathers,” Muka added.
Meanwhile, Gweru United Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Development Association (GUPRARDA) director, David Chikore said urgent attention is needed to rescue the affected residents against a serious health hazard.
“Sights of barefooted toddlers playing in raw sewerage flowing generously in Gweru’s Mtapa Section 6, oblivious of the unattended health hazard really drive home the point that indeed things have fallen apart and the centre cannot hold at town house.
“Mtapa Section 6 residents are now being weakened by the raw human waste which has clogged the under maintained and overwhelmed sewer line and forcing water to seep under the doorsteps and foundations.
“As community representatives we are left bereft of any words of hope that we could give this community except to say that we will continue to escalate the matter to the relevant authorities.
“Will it be fair to blame such people for not honoring their council bills? They have openly expressed that they feel hard done by Council,” he added.
However efforts to get a comment from Gweru council Acting director of Engineering, Praymore Mhlanga were fruitless as his mobile phone could not be reached.
