Okahandja town drowns in sewage
By: Envaalde Matheus
Residents of informal settlements in the so-called Garden Town, OKahandja, have lived with sewage rivulets for 10 years.
The sewage pipe that runs through some shacks is often vandalised, leaving raw sewage to flow on the streets.
Social justice activist Bruno Tagub says there has been no efforts from the town leadership to solve the situation.
"I don't know what they are doing with the water, but it fills up this whole area. You can see the water pooling here—it spreads across this spot," he said. "This area has become a hotspot for mosquitoes, bugs, and bacteria."
Pensioner Salinde Ouses who has been staying in Ekunde 3 for over 14 years said the people, especially children often fall sick.
"I have lived here for over 14 years, and the water has been running for a long time. Initially, everything was fine, but people started cutting the pipes to provide water for their livestock. This has led to children falling sick, and people can't even enjoy the taste of their food,” she said.
Ouses said it's a serious health hazard.
“The dirt is unbearable, and it attracts mosquitoes, making the situation even worse,” she said.
Okahandja Rate Payers Association Councillor Charl Coetzee acknowledged the problem but attributed the municipality's inability to address it to a lack of funds.
"The challenge is that operating our sewage farms requires significant funding—around N$100 to N$120 million just to manage the current system," said Coetzee.
He explained that while digging the hole and installing the pipe may seem like the easy part, it’s only a small fraction of the problem.
"But where does that sewage go? If not properly managed, it could contaminate the drinking water, which would only worsen the situation and create an even bigger problem," he added.
Watch on oneafrica.tv, DStv or GOtv at 19h00 on Mondays to Fridays.
#newsonone #topstory #ndtc #oneafrica
