BY SHARON SIBINDI Plumtree residents have come out guns blazing against the local authority, which is accused of failing to address problems of sewer flowing into homes in the border town in Matabeleland South.
The residents of Mathendele suburb said they were the most affected and appeals to councillors to address the problem were falling into deaf ears.
Some of the residents claimed that council had hired up to four contractors to fix the problem and none of them delivered, sparking allegations of corruption.
“The situation at Mathendele is bad,” said a resident, who preferred to remain anonymous.
“Council dug up trenches for sewer pipes and we are told that they have hired up to four different contractors to solve the problem, but none of them have delivered.
“The first contractor did not know what he was doing. As a community we are trying to find answers.
“We tried to talk to councillors, but we have not found any joy as they say they do not have information about the project.”
The disgruntled resident said a council engineer, who was responsible for the sewer project, resigned and was given a golden handshake despite the fact he had failed to do his job.
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“The engineer that was overseeing the project resigned and got his package,” he claimed.
“Our question was how somebody can get a package, which included a car, after presiding over the mess here.”
Residents said a similar situation was prevailing in the George Silundika area where council dug sewer ponds have no proper infrastructure to dispose of waste.
A tour of Mathendele by a Sunday Southern Eye crew revealed that in some areas, residents have to contend with sewer flowing into their homes.
“Council has been busy parcelling out housing stands without supporting infrastructure,” a Mathendele resident said.
“The sewer problem is bound to get worse as the population keeps growing.”
Plumtree Town Council acting secretary Thembelani Nyoni admitted that there was a crisis at Mathendele and said the local authority was working to address the problem.
“We acknowledge the challenge that the area is facing but the local authority has plans that by September that area should be done if we are not hindered by inflation,” Nyoni said.
“We are conducting a research to check the challenges or issues with regard to service delivery on the water and sewer side.
“Basically in terms of what remedial action can be taken is to connect that area to the main sewer trunk.
“The line goes up to Empandeni Road and close to that area there’s a bedrock granite and extensive blasting is needed.”
He said the engineer, who was supervising work on a sewer pipeline in one of the affected areas “slept on the job.”
“So the issue is how you deepen the trenches for sewer pipes and there’s a section, which was blasted long back,” Nyoni added.
“It’s just a matter of how do you upgrade that line and connect it to the main existing pipe.
“On the other section the person who was supervising that project slept on the job and ended up moving the sewer line towards a wrong area. “But the local authority is taking measures to try and rectify that situation.”
