Residents Left Sick While City Fails to Act

GOOD Speech by Siyabulela Mamkeli, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor:

The ongoing sewer blockages across Wesbank and Philippi are no longer isolated service delivery failures; they represent a full-blown public health crisis that is being neglected by the Democratic Alliance-led City of Cape Town.

Residents in Wesbank have been enduring weeks of exposure to raw sewage, with many reporting illnesses linked to these conditions. In Hlungulu Street, Philippi, community members are now suffering from visible skin infections after being exposed to contaminated water for over four weeks without resolution. Meanwhile, in Ngqabe Street, raw sewage and clean water have been continuously overflowing since December 2025, wasting critical resources while placing residents at severe health risk.

Due to the City’s Water and Sanitation Department’s failure to resolve the ongoing sewer blockages, residents of Hlungulu Street have now been forced to resort to DIY measures to reduce their exposure to raw sewage and the growing risk of disease. This is a clear indication of a community that has been left behind, where residents must take matters into their own hands to protect their health and dignity.
This is unacceptable.

While communities in Philippi are forced to live with raw sewage flowing through their streets, we see political theatrics elsewhere. The City leadership cannot afford to be selective in its urgency. Service delivery must not depend on publicity stunts while vulnerable communities are left to suffer in silence.

I therefore call on the Executive Mayor and the MMC for Water and Sanitation to urgently intervene and:

• Immediately dispatch emergency sewer repair teams to affected areas in Philippi and Wesbank
• Provide temporary sanitation and health support to affected residents
• Conduct a full infrastructure assessment to prevent recurring failures
• Ensure accountability for the prolonged delays in addressing these service requests

The dignity, health, and safety of our communities cannot be compromised. Residents of Philippi and Wesbank deserve the same level of urgency and care afforded to any other part of the city.
We will not remain silent while our people are exposed to conditions that threaten their lives.

GOOD Manifesto on Community Safety: Strengthening community safety initiatives.

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