FAECES IN MY HOME
People of Monganakodu ward in Taung, Ramotswa fear that the longer it takes to find out where the underground water that flows into their homes is coming from, the greater the health hazards it poses.
Rejoice Modiane shared at a Kgotla meeting in Taung, Ramotswa that her yard is inaccessible, and a stream of water that flows into her yard carries a greenish-like substance.
She is not sure what the greenish-like substance is, but it looks like faeces. “I wonder if it is faeces or what? Dirt flows into my home, and there are faeces all over my home.
“What hurts me most is that we saw water invading our homes and we desperately pleaded for help. If action was taken that time, we would not be here. Our houses are damaged, I have no access to my home,” she said.
She cannot tell where all the dirt is coming from. For more than two months there has been stagnant water in her home.
She has resorted to filling empty sacks with sand and placing them from the gate to her doorstep. The temporary measure assists her to leave and enter her house.
“How do you remain calm when you see your house cracking? All that we are asking is that government dig water channels so that the water can flow out of our homes.
“Our health is endangered, we wonder if we are waiting for an unfortunate incident to happen first. I really believe that the South East District Council has failed us. I will not hide and say I am happy. You have taken long, we are disappointed,” she said.
Another resident, Sylvester Pogiso said even more worrisome is that there are cemeteries not far from their homes. This means that possibilities are high that the underground water flows from the graves to their homes.
He said chances are high that decomposed dead body tissue come with the flowing water that gets into their homes.
“We fear waterborne diseases such as Malaria and Cholera. We don’t know where the seepage comes from and the graves are on high ground, flowing to the lower area being our homes,” Pogiso said.
He added that there are animals that die and a continuous flow of water means dirt flows in any direction, anytime.
Pogiso wondered why there is no sewer line at Monganakodu when they know that the water level underground is close to the surface, less than half a metre from the surface to be precise.
“You cannot even provide storm-water drainage to divert the direction of the water flow. Personally I am complaining, when allocating land what were the findings?
“Our properties are getting damaged. We have been patient enough but now people have to take responsibility. When giving plots and allowing developments, what guidelines were followed,” he asked.
Elderly woman, Pona Phiri does not know what Malaria is but she suspects that she will soon fall sick from it.
“Our homes are stinking! I once went to land board to ask for help and asked the officers to go and channel the water out of my home. My heart bled. At the rate things are going, we will not show officers respect anymore,” she said.
Responding to the health hazards, South East District Council Secretary, Charles Amos said they will call the department of public health to look into the matter and advise accordingly.
“I can confirm that the 2013 report that is being mentioned repeatedly exists. From far back in history, Balete who resided in Monganakodu knew how they survived living there and hence the name.
“We seem to have delayed because of continuous investigations. We need the community because we get advice from our elders that the water seepage covers a large area and that is an important detail to us,” Amos said.
Amos added that investigations reveal that water in the area does not go underground because of the bedrock. This means that when it rains water remains above ground.
Amos pleaded with the residents to unite in order to find a solution to the water seepage problem. The residents whose houses have become inhabitable and pose threat, were advised to notify “our office and we will engage our structural engineers,” Amos promised.
Rejoice Modiane shared at a Kgotla meeting in Taung, Ramotswa that her yard is inaccessible, and a stream of water that flows into her yard carries a greenish-like substance.
She is not sure what the greenish-like substance is, but it looks like faeces. “I wonder if it is faeces or what? Dirt flows into my home, and there are faeces all over my home.
“What hurts me most is that we saw water invading our homes and we desperately pleaded for help. If action was taken that time, we would not be here. Our houses are damaged, I have no access to my home,” she said.
She cannot tell where all the dirt is coming from. For more than two months there has been stagnant water in her home.
She has resorted to filling empty sacks with sand and placing them from the gate to her doorstep. The temporary measure assists her to leave and enter her house.
“How do you remain calm when you see your house cracking? All that we are asking is that government dig water channels so that the water can flow out of our homes.
“Our health is endangered, we wonder if we are waiting for an unfortunate incident to happen first. I really believe that the South East District Council has failed us. I will not hide and say I am happy. You have taken long, we are disappointed,” she said.
Another resident, Sylvester Pogiso said even more worrisome is that there are cemeteries not far from their homes. This means that possibilities are high that the underground water flows from the graves to their homes.
He said chances are high that decomposed dead body tissue come with the flowing water that gets into their homes.
“We fear waterborne diseases such as Malaria and Cholera. We don’t know where the seepage comes from and the graves are on high ground, flowing to the lower area being our homes,” Pogiso said.
He added that there are animals that die and a continuous flow of water means dirt flows in any direction, anytime.
Pogiso wondered why there is no sewer line at Monganakodu when they know that the water level underground is close to the surface, less than half a metre from the surface to be precise.
“You cannot even provide storm-water drainage to divert the direction of the water flow. Personally I am complaining, when allocating land what were the findings?
“Our properties are getting damaged. We have been patient enough but now people have to take responsibility. When giving plots and allowing developments, what guidelines were followed,” he asked.
Elderly woman, Pona Phiri does not know what Malaria is but she suspects that she will soon fall sick from it.
“Our homes are stinking! I once went to land board to ask for help and asked the officers to go and channel the water out of my home. My heart bled. At the rate things are going, we will not show officers respect anymore,” she said.
Responding to the health hazards, South East District Council Secretary, Charles Amos said they will call the department of public health to look into the matter and advise accordingly.
“I can confirm that the 2013 report that is being mentioned repeatedly exists. From far back in history, Balete who resided in Monganakodu knew how they survived living there and hence the name.
“We seem to have delayed because of continuous investigations. We need the community because we get advice from our elders that the water seepage covers a large area and that is an important detail to us,” Amos said.
Amos added that investigations reveal that water in the area does not go underground because of the bedrock. This means that when it rains water remains above ground.
Amos pleaded with the residents to unite in order to find a solution to the water seepage problem. The residents whose houses have become inhabitable and pose threat, were advised to notify “our office and we will engage our structural engineers,” Amos promised.
