TOTT 31 January 2019

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January 31, 2019
Sewage spill in Biscay
Road a health hazard
AWFUL STENCH: Sewage blockages and spills are an ongoing problem in
Biscay Road, this one a few weeks ago rising up behind the Nemato SPAR
building
Pipeline blocked despite municipal efforts
NTOMBENTSHA MSUTU
Several complaints were
recently made by
concerned residents to
the municipality about
ongoing sewage spills in
Biscay Road, fearing that if
nothing is done soon to fix
the problem, then they
might end up faced with a
health problem.
In an exchange of e-mails
revealed to Talk of the Town
between a concerned
resident and the
municipality, it is said that
the municipality has tried
doing something about this
and even hired a
high-pressure machine to
assist to unblock the line.
“The municipality hired a
high-pressure machine from
Port Elizabeth to assist to
unblock the line, but [it’s]
still difficult,” infrast ructural
development deputy director
Sipho Babama said.
“Currently the sewerage
can run on the line but
unfortunately the rods that
were used to unblock the
line could not come out.
That means the line can still
block due to that. The
municipality is busy working
on this.
“The main problem is the
fat, which is suspected to
come from the
businesses around
the area, such as
S PA R . ”
Infrast ructural
development director
Noluthando Vithi said
they have had
number of blockages
from the line connecting to
Nemato SPAR and their
investigation revealed that it
was due to fat.
“We requested that fat
traps be installed, however
the challenge still persist[s].
It might be due to the small
pipe size from SPAR and the
elevation connecting to our
main line.
“As the municipality we
suggest the following to
rectify the current ongoing
problem: To build and install
a tank with the minimum of
12,000 litres, to build and
install [a] conservancy tank
2m away from the building,
to build two pumps – one
will act as a standby,” Vithi
said.
She continued: “To install
The main problem is the
fat, which is suspected to
come from businesses
and lay HDPE 110mm pipe
plus-minus 50m to connect
the pipe. The pipeline will be
connected to the main hall
in the bell mouth of Main
Street/Southwell [Road].
Excavation digging to
comply with 1,200 standard,
compaction and clearing
trench to be according to
the municipal standard and
all work will be done on
municipal specification.”
It was also revealed that it
was the responsibility of the
land owner to obtain
professional advice with
regards to this manner, and
once the professional advice
has been obtained, the land
owner is required to submit
a detailed plan to the
municipality to
scrutinise and
approve.
When TotT
contacted SPAR
owner Lesley
Theunissen she said
that she had nothing
to say about the
s i t u at i o n .
“We have submitted our
report to the municipality,
and the issue is exactly the
same as the water problem.
“No maintenance on the
sewerage pipes and drains.
Businesses, including
Nemato SPAR, can only
assist to a certain extent but
we cannot get blamed for
their failures,” Theunissen
said.
Complaint over recycling waste in Alfred Road
JON HOUZET
Ndlambe Municipality has taken action against a
recycling business in Alfred Road after a
complaint by a member of the public.
Doug Kemsley sent photographs accompanying
his complaint to the municipality and copied in
Talk of the Town.
“A new company has commenced business in
the waste industry and since inception, property
owners in the vicinity have to endure
encroachment of unsightly, polluting waste plastic,
paper and cardboard materials spilling into the
street, on the pavements and into their
proper ties,” Kemsley said.
“Bad management by the owners has seen large
trucks blocking five entranceways into five
industrial properties,” he said.
He said the situation created a health hazard,
with noxious odours also emanating from the
contents of old plastic containers.
“Customers are turning away from our
businesses as a result of the unsightliness and
stench of this waste company.”
He said the situation would result in devaluation
of properties in the street and asked the
municipality to take action.
In a response copied to TotT, community
protection services director Nombulelo
Booysen-Willy, said the municipality’s by-law
compliance officer had already issued the
business owner with a fine.
The environmental health manager and
environmental law officer had done on-site
inspections and found that the bales of cardboard
and plastic lining the verges of Alfred Road were
there as a temporary measure, as a result of a
truck that tipped over in Southwell Road recently
and lost its load of bales for recycling.
“It has been suggested to the business owner
that he employ casuals to clean up the area,
insofar as it relates to litter. Further, he has
undertaken to make use of shade cloth on the
fencing around the premises, which will further
prevent litter from blowing through the fencing, as
well as screen the premises from public view,”
Booysen-Willy said.
She said municipal inspectors found no sign of
spillage from plastic containers or any noxious
odours.
As for trucks blocking entrances, she said
Kemsley should report this to the traffic
department when it occurs.
“We can confirm that our officials will continue
to monitor the area and we trust that this matter
will be rectified shortly,” she said.
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OFF-SITE STORAGE: Residents are perturbed by bales of cardboard and plastic waste for recycling lining the verges of Alfred Road
Picture: DOUG KEMSLEY
Distinctive
By TIMBER TOWN
Kitchens
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Pray for rain gathering at the Monument
JON HOUZET
A call has gone out for farmers
and residents to gather to pray
for rain on February 8 at the
Settlers Monument in
Grahamstown (Makhanda).
One of the organisers, Leon
Coetzee, said farmers were at
the coalface of the drought in
the Eastern Cape. “The
situation is critical,” he said.
“The initiative for this prayer
started in the farming
community who felt it would be
good to hold it in Grahamstown
because the situation there is
even more dire than Ndlambe,”
Coetzee said.
“We ’re trying to reach
farmers in an 80km radius from
Grahamstown and contacted
nine farmers association in the
region. They’re sending out
messages to all farmers.”
Organisers approached the
Monument and the main
auditorium has been provided
free of charge.
A senior pastor from Bhisho,
Mangaliso Matshobane, will
direct the prayer service.
Several local pastors would
also officiate during
proceedings, Coetzee said.
“This will be across all
denominational and racial
divides.”
Farmers have been requested
to bring some of their staff to
the pray for rain service, which
is set for 2.30 for 3pm.