The Sunday News
Nkosilathi Sibanda, Sunday News Correspondent
RESIDENTS at Ntabazinduna Flats in Barbourfields have accused the Bulawayo City Council of failing to attend to burst sewer pipes that are posing a health hazard to hundreds of families with human waste now flowing into houses.
For the past two weeks, residents have lived to endure the stench of human waste that flows at door steps, meandering into the dirty roads, vegetable gardens and playgrounds. When Sunday News visited the area last week, children were seen milling around the sewage plains, seemingly unaware of the dangers they are exposed to.
There were a number of sewer manhole bursts, with residents saying numerous calls for assistance from the council have been unfruitful. Residents said it was only on Monday and Tuesday last week that three council workers were seen at the sight of one of the burst manhole, but they failed to mend the damage and never returned.
Mr Luke Siwela who stays in one of the flats told Sunday News that they live in fear of an outbreak of diseases.
“We have been turned into animals. Even pigs live better than us. Human waste is overflowing from all the sewer manholes around here. During the night, the flow is low but during the day it is a river of faeces. You smell the very stench of human excreta in your living room even if you have closed windows. Some neighbours have accompanied the residents’ leadership to Tower Block (City of Bulawayo offices) but they came lamenting. They were not attended to. Every day we call those offices and what we get is a sorry excuse.”
Ntabazinduna Flats residents’ chairman Mr Amos Banda said they were in pain.
“Our efforts to get assistance have been in vain. We fear diseases might spread. All what we want is for the city council to give us the service we deserve. This is painful,” said Mr Banda.
At the doorstep of one of the flats, there is a manhole that has given two families a nightmarish experience. The burst sewer flows into the kitchen in the morning.
An elderly couple that resides there was seen digging up trenches to divert the protruding human waste outside the small yard.
The council is on record as saying it was battling to attend to the large number of damaged pipes as a result of the ageing sewerage infrastructure. In a statement yesterday, the council said work to attend to burst sewer pipes had been affected by the prevailing Covid-19 situation and lockdown. Council said some teams have members in isolation after testing positive to the virus. — @NkosieLegend
