GOOD Statement by Siyabulela Mamkeli, GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor:
The ongoing sewer blockages at the corner of Monticello and Flower Street in Wesbank have moved beyond routine service failure. They now constitute a serious public health and economic emergency affecting some of the most vulnerable residents in the community.
Two videos recorded on the same day, at 11:08 and again at 16:00, show raw sewage resurfacing within hours of temporary interventions. This recurring pattern, which residents report has persisted for years, confirms that the problem is structural and remains unresolved.
Since 2019, the DA-led City of Cape Town administration has repeatedly failed to implement the obvious, long-term solution to this crisis. Despite years of complaints, service requests, and visible evidence of system collapse, the same reactive approach continues, with no permanent relief for residents.
A local resident operating a feeding scheme for vulnerable families is forced to function amid chronic sewer overflows and illegal dumping. It is virtually impossible to prepare and distribute food safely in an environment contaminated by raw sewage. Efforts to combat hunger are being directly undermined by infrastructure failure.
Another resident has been compelled to shut down her Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre due to persistent blockages and sewage spills. Children cannot be safely cared for or educated in conditions marked by foul odours, contamination risks, and exposure to pathogens. This situation infringes on children’s constitutional rights to safety, health, and early learning.
Small businesses in the area are also suffering significant losses. When sewage flows through streets, customers stay away, operating environments become hazardous, and livelihoods are destabilised. The local economy cannot function under these conditions.
Continuous exposure to raw sewage significantly increases the risk of skin infections, diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory illnesses, and waterborne infections
Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. The burden of preventable illness places further strain on already overstretched households and health services.
This crisis reflects deeper systemic shortcomings within the City’s Water and Sanitation Department under Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and MMC Zahid Badroodien, including:
- Inadequate sewer capacity for the current population demand
- Failure to upgrade undersized sewer pipelines and pump stations
- Insufficient proactive maintenance and long-term infrastructure planning
- Persistent sand ingress and recurring blockages that are not permanently resolved
Emergency pumping and short-term interventions merely delay the next overflow. They do not address the root cause.
At the same time, residents are strongly urged to stop dumping illegal objects, rubble, sand, household waste, nappies, and foreign materials into stormwater drains and sewer systems. Such practices directly worsen blockages, accelerate infrastructure failure, and endanger the entire community.
The City of Cape Town must immediately:
- Commission underground CCTV inspections to assess the full structural condition of sewer pipelines in Wesbank.
- Implement engineering solutions to address sand ingress and enforce measures against illegal dumping.
- Upgrade sewer pipe diameters and pump station capacity to meet current and projected demand.
- Develop and publish a time-bound, funded sewer infrastructure upgrade plan for Wesbank.
- Officially classify and treat the situation as a public health emergency.
Wesbank residents cannot continue to live, work, feed children, educate young learners, or operate businesses in an environment contaminated by raw sewage.
Access to safe sanitation is a constitutional right, not a privilege contingent on political priorities.
The City must move beyond temporary fixes and implement permanent, accountable solutions that restore dignity, protect public health, and stabilise the local economy.
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