The odour in Qunube Street at Esileyini in Ndlovini tells every passer-by that the mud and rivulets in the street come from the outside toilet situated on the verge.
Lindile Seti, the cousin of the house owner, has learned to live with the stinking loo after several efforts to get the municipality fix the leaking toilet yielded no results. He believes the municipality is responsible as he falls under the indigent policy.
According Seti the toilet has been leaking for more than three months. He suspected that there was a broken pipe underneath.
After noticing the leak months ago, Seti said he messaged Ward 7 Councillor Mbuyiseli Yali about it and Yali promised to it report to the municipality.
“Municipal workers came and looked at it but they did not fix it. They left it like it is and it’s been more than three months now,” said Seti.
Despite its impact on passers-by, Seti has been affected more than anyone else.
“I will just leave it like that,” Seti said. “What can you do when you have been reporting the same thing? They come and pour some powder on it but that powder doesn’t stop the leakage and smell.”
“This long chain of going through ward committees and councillors before your problem gets to the municipality is a delaying tactic. It has made government very far from people,” he said.
Seti’s area appears to have been side-lined in various small services. “You see this street did not get gravel when other streets were renewed and had gravel poured on. I bought it myself twice for R400 and R450,” he said.
Municipal spokesman Cecil Mbolekwa said that the issue has been given attention and would soon be fixed.
“We are already busy on that site trying to establish what is the cause of the leak. We hope to finish the work before the end of the week,” he said.
