Ndlambe Municipality is investigating a permanent solution to ongoing sewerage blockages in Van der Riet Street in the Port Alfred CBD. Their response to questions from Talk of the Town came as frustrated business owners in the area spoke of customers put off by frequent sewage spills and the ongoing disruption to road infrastructure during multiple attempts to fix them.
Van der Riet Street enjoys prime river frontage and the Kowie River is the Seine of Port Alfred. A single townhouse unit at the north end of Van der Riet Street was sold earlier this year for R1.4 million. The property two doors downriver was last sold for R2.9 million – and that was 13 years ago.
Local estate agents confirm the real estate value of the area.
“The river front properties are very limited so very sought after,” said one. “Further up in Mentone Road they are also expensive even though there is a road between the river and the house.”
At the heart of Van der Riet Street’s river front is a 2000 metre squared complex that spans numbers 31-37. Listed for sale at R20.5 million, it houses prime tenants that include the upmarket My Pond Hotel and Conference Centre, Ocean Basket Restaurant, doctor’s rooms and a health shop. According to its online listing, the complex contributes R15 940 a month in rates and taxes to Ndlambe Municipality’s revenue stream.
But businesses in the vicinity that fork out up to R13 000 a month in rental alone are tearing their hair out.
“The Van der Riet street problem is a public health risk that has been ignored by the municipality for years,” said local business owner Ursula van Eck. “The local economy and small businesses have already suffered due to the lack of consistent attention to the problem.”
Another business owner said, “People come to the area for a meal, or to one of the businesses in the area, and they often turn around and go somewhere else: if there isn’t a current sewage spill, then it’s piles of paving stones and excavations left uncovered. It leaves a very bad impression for visitors.”
Ndlambe Municipality said they understood the impact of the problem on local businesses and are working on a long-term, sustainable solution. Meanwhile, they are deploying staff to clear blockages, and an engineer to start assessing the sewer reticulation in that area. Spokesperson TK Mtiki on Monday responded to questions from Talk of the Town as follows:
Uncovered excavation and piles of paving stones:
“Paving has been temporary replaced at Van Der Riet Street and outstanding are offcuts around the manhole. The offcuts will be finalised [on] Tuesday, August 20 2024.
Immediate remedy:
“The section towards Main Street is to be rodded and jetted… on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, in an attempt to get it flowing which will allow the Engineer to perform tests on the sewer pipe line. Once open and cleaned, the levels can be checked to see if it is correct.
- This article was first published in Talk of the Town, August 22, 2024. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
