The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Tembisa South has called on the City of Ekurhuleni to urgently accelerate bulk sewerage upgrade projects in the area, saying years of persistent sewer overflows have stripped residents of their dignity and exposed them to serious health risks.
The call follows confirmation by the metro that two major bulk sewer projects are currently underway in Tembisa as part of a multi-year infrastructure programme scheduled to run until 2028.
DA Political Head for Tembisa South, Refiloe Nt’sekhe MPL, said while the commencement of the projects was welcome, the pace of implementation remained a concern.
“We are calling for the urgent acceleration of this project, along with clear timelines and transparent reporting, to ensure that the upgrades are completed efficiently and deliver lasting solutions rather than temporary fixes,” Nt’sekhe said on Monday.
According to official municipal records cited by the DA, the City of Ekurhuleni received 4,227 sewerage-related complaints during the 2024/25 financial year, compared to 3,499 complaints in 2023/24. The DA noted that these figures exclude complaints raised through social media and community channels, suggesting the true scale of the problem may be higher.
For many residents, sewer overflows have become a daily reality, with raw sewage reportedly flowing into homes, yards and streets.
“For far too long, families in Tembisa have endured raw sewerage bubbling into bathtubs, flowing through yards, and spilling onto streets where children play,” Nt’sekhe said, adding that the situation reflects governance failures rather than isolated infrastructure issues.
The city has confirmed that the Tembisa X25 Outfall Sewer Upgrade and the Tembisa Sewer (Tembisa 1) Project are being implemented in phases, citing budget constraints. However, the DA has warned that funding challenges should not delay long-overdue upgrades.
Local resident Nomantu Dube said sewer spills have become rampant in her area.
“This poses a hazard to our health. There is no dignity, just smell and poo all over our streets,” Dube said.
The DA has urged the metro to prioritise sewerage infrastructure to protect public health and restore basic living conditions in Tembisa South. At the time of publication, the City of Ekurhuleni had not commented.
