Masakhane Road in ward 11, Bloemfontein, has become the route for a river of raw sewage flowing past homes.
The raw sewage bubbling up from various blocked manholes continue to erode the surface of the road.
Motorists are accustomed to slowing down and even stopping while driving here. They do so with great care to avoid the flood of sewage and having their vehicles sunk deep into one of the many potholes.
The road in question connects traffic from Mothibi Street in Rocklands.
Residents in this part of ward 11 tells Express that it is normal to be compelled to jump over sewage spillages.
The major sewage spillage along Masakhane Road, however, is cause for special concern, as it floods the road before making its way into the nearby wetlands.
The issues contributing to this situation have been reported several times, to no avail.
Constantly flowing sewage has especially damaged a certain section of the road, which seems to have developed into a catchment area for spillages.
This section has turned out to be the perfect spot for a group of unemployed youth to scramble for cash. They direct motorists through the sewage water covering the road surface and, in return, some motorists give them R2.
Because of this, residents call it the “Phase 3 tollgate”.
Of the six young men directing the traffic in this way, only two do not have matric certificates, while the others completed matric in 2018 and 2019.
Furthermore, the area has been turned into an illegal dumping site for all sorts of waste, reportedly by people from local residences. Mounds of everything from household waste to disposable nappies, plastics, animal carcasses, tyres and building rubble have accumulated in the area.
- See more pictures on the Facebook page Express-News.
