Residents of Oshakati’s Extension 8 are calling on the Oshakati Town Council to put an end to raw sewage headaches as waste has been flowing into their area for close to a month.
The raw sewage is flowing from overwhelmed broken manholes due to blockages in the system and collapsed infrastructure. It flows into homes and walking paths, as well as the open flood plains, before joining the nearby water canal.
“This has been going on since the beginning of May. In total, 10 houses in the area are heavily affected. Waste is flowing into our yards and the stench of faeces is unbearable, no should live like this,” says resident Lahja Nghipangelwa.
Nghipangelwa says she has over the past two months telephonically engaged the council’s engineering department and laid her complaints on the situation.
“My calls to the town council have all fallen on deaf ears. Sewage is flowing all over the place, the roads and walking paths are filled with waste and as result children going to school and those going to town and vice versa have to detour to avoid walking on waste. When at home one has to continuously make use of air freshener to remedy the stench. It is also unhygienic for one to constantly breathe in that type of air,” Nghipangelwa says.
Another resident, Sakaria Thomas, blames the manholes breaking down on poor workmanship.
“The people contracted to set up this manhole did shoddy work. The town council should hurry up and address this situation. The area has been serviced by the council and people are paying rates and services to the council, so why should they prolong attending to this?”
When contacted recently Oshakati Town Council mayor Leonard Hango said he was not aware of the situation but that it would be attended to as a matter of urgency.
“Thank you for informing me about the matter. I will task the relevant department to act immediately,” Hango said.
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