Dusty road a health hazard for Mogoditshane Block 9 residents
Residents of Mogoditshane Block 5 have been battling against the dust problem that has become a health issue for well over a decade, with clouds of dust descending on their homes on a daily basis. Residents are concerned about the ‘wall of dust’ they are exposed to day and night, saying it is a threat to their health. “It has affected a lot of aspects of our homes, our lives, and our health,” Leungo Moeti said at her home.
On Moeti’s property, virtually everything is coated in a layer of dust. She said much of it comes from vehicles especially kombis that drive past at incredible speed, leaving in their trail billows of dust that blow throughout the neighbourhood. “It’s almost pointless trying to keep anything clean,” she said. Goabaone Munyamane lives down the road from Moeti and she said they have to clean dust daily and never even dream of opening windows. Both homeowners are worried about the potential health effects of breathing in the fine dust.
“It’s irritating to your eyes, your throat you see it on your counter tops, in your food. It’s on everything, it’s everywhere,” Munyamane said. Another resident, Tshepo Monageng, 32, who has been living in the area since the early ‘90s said they survive by drinking fresh milk daily in order to dilute the dust from their respiratory system. He said they sometimes go to the extent of asking for face and nose masks from the clinic in order to cover their faces and get through the day. He said the situation is at times worsened by ignorant drivers.
“They are always in a hurry, you hardly see a driver who is considerate around here, this huge cloud of dust has now become normal and a part of us,” he said. Street vendor Monyana Mmutle (34) lamented that she is failing to expand her business because of the situation at hand. “I wanted to expand and sell vegetables but nobody will buy them if they will always be covered in dust,” she said.
The situation is even more disheartening because her home is not very far from the road, her home furniture is always dusty and every-time she does laundry, she is forced to remove it from the line immediately after drying. She fears for her two-year old little boy, who at times does not respond well to the environment and coughs badly. “We fear for our children who are at the risk of falling ill due to the excessive dust.”
‘And that fear is not off the mark. “Prolonged exposure to dusty air may lead to lung cancer or interstitial lung disease (ILD),” General Practitioner at Lordland Medical Centre, Dr David Munsanje tells The Midweek Sun. ILD reduces the amount of oxygen in the body and can cause death, he says. “Both the toxic air and dust pollution can cause diseases like asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, nasal allergy and rhinitis,” he says, adding two more diseases, silicosis and asbestosis, are also on the increase lately. Dr Munsanje said the dust clouds people see were not the real problem in terms of health. “It is the very small invisible dust particles that get deep inside the lungs.”
Efforts to verify increased cases of Tuberculosis (TB) at the nearby Nkoyaphiri clinic hit a snag as this publication was all week sent from pillar to post. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the clinic is inundated with people suffering from TB. It is feared that the dusty road may be causing this. Member of Parliament for Mogoditshane Sedirwa Kgoroba said he has long advised government that the road needs immediate attention but his pleas have hit a snag.“I even thought of organising a protest march but many felt that it would appear political, I long spoke to minister Slumber Tsogwane to come and address Mogoditshane residents but he has not responded yet,” he said.Nevertherless Kgoroba noted that the council has promised that by late this year, construction of a proper tarred road will begin in the area.