Prince Chese
BEITBRIDGE Town Clerk Loud Ramagkapola says the local authority is attending to sewer blockages “in the shortest possible time” and has carried out repairs to key infrastructure, following reports of sewage spills in parts of the town.
Ramagkapola said council has upgraded pipes crossing streams to reduce leakages and minimise the flow of effluent, adding that reported blockages are addressed promptly.
“Council has done a lot of work on pipes crossing the streams to an extent that there is minimal sewerage flow. Those that block we always attend to them in the shortest possible time,” he said.
His remarks come after residents and business operators raised concerns about recurring sewer overflows in Beitbridge residential areas .
Some residents said the spills have affected roads, shops and vegetable markets, raising fears about sanitation and public health.
Traders in areas such as HaMbedzi said persistent odours and visible waste have affected customer traffic, while concerns were also noted around Wamulala River, which residents say is sometimes affected by wastewater during dry periods.
Council maintains that it is responding to reported faults and continuing maintenance works on the sewer network .
Residents, meanwhile, have called for sustained attention to prevent further spillages and protect public health.
Some residents have however dismissed Ramakgapola’s claim saying some sewer bursts have gone on for years n the Tshitaudze suburb of Beitbridge.
“Even at the section of Dulivhadzimu north of the hospital there is a burst that has gone unrepaired for many years. It has almost become normal to live with sewer spillage,” said a resident of that area.
In several social media groups several residents had no kind words for the municipality in the town of 60 000 people.
Burst or overflowing sewers release raw sewage, which contains a high concentration of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
These contaminants can lead to several serious, and sometimes fatal, waterborne and gastrointestinal diseases through direct contact, ingestion of contaminated water, or inhalation of airborne bacteria.