With South Africa’s local government elections less than a month away, residents of Palm Ridge in Ekurhuleni say they are still battling basic service delivery problems, including an overflowing sewer and pothole-ridden roads.

The 2026 Local Government Elections are scheduled for November 4.

On Umqandane Road, residents say an ongoing sewerage spillage has turned part of the busy road into a hazardous stretch, forcing pedestrians and motorists to manoeuvre around contaminated water.

African Times visited the area on Thursday and witnessed motorists and pedestrians attempting to avoid the sewage flowing across the road.

Residents said the latest spillage has been running continuously since August, despite repeated reports to the City of Ekurhuleni.

Buyiswa Mdwaba, a resident, said the sewer problem had existed for years and that previous interventions by municipal officials had failed to provide a lasting solution.

Mdwaba said officials had attended to the problem on several occasions, only for the sewage to start flowing again within about 24 hours.

“This is very frustrating. We have reported this problem for years, but it keeps coming back,” she said.

She said the smell had become unbearable, particularly as temperatures rise, and that the stagnant sewage was attracting flies and creating concerns about the health of residents.

The sewerage is reportedly located close to a gate used by residents, forcing schoolchildren and other pedestrians to cross the busy road to avoid the contaminated area.

Mdwaba said she had witnessed people being injured while trying to navigate the spillage.

“I once witnessed an elderly woman tripping and falling, landing inside the sewer spillage as she attempted to jump. It was very bad,” she said.

Residents also raised concerns about the safety of motorists.

Mdwaba said a three vehicle crash occurred about three weeks ago involving a sedan, a double cab bakkie and a taxi.

According to her account, the sedan was travelling in one direction while the bakkie was travelling in the opposite direction. As the sedan approached the sewage, it slowed down, resulting in the taxi colliding with it and pushing it into the path of the oncoming bakkie.

The occupants of the taxi and bakkie were not seriously injured, but a woman in her 50s sustained injuries, Mdwaba said.

“We had to assist the woman with our neighbours. We called for an ambulance and waited for more than three hours,” she said.

Mdwaba said she eventually contacted people she knew in the metro police to assist in getting emergency medical help.

The bakkie was subsequently left at a neighbour’s home, where a mechanic could work on it, she said.

The sewerage has also affected businesses operating along the road.

Mdwaba said a nearby informal food business selling vegetables and kota meals had been affected because customers were reluctant to cross the sewage to reach the shop.

The road is particularly busy, residents said, with motorists using it to travel towards Greenfields, Zonkizizwe, Heidelberg and the Palm Ridge Magistrates’ Court.

They are also concerned about motorists unfamiliar with the area who may not anticipate the sewage on the road.

Adding to residents’ frustration are potholes scattered across Umqandane Road.

Mdwaba said residents had repeatedly reported the potholes, which she claimed had contributed to damage to vehicles.

The problems come despite the City’s previously stated plans to address ageing sewer infrastructure in Palm Ridge. In a 2024 publication, the City said sewer spillages would be addressed through the upgrading and replacement of ageing sewer and water pipes, with Palm Ridge listed among the priority areas.

The City also provides channels for residents to report blocked sewers, sewer spillages and damaged roads through its call centre and My CoE app.

African Times has approached the City of Ekurhuleni for comment on the Umqandane Road sewerage spillage, the residents’ complaints, the reported accidents and injuries, and the timeline for a permanent solution.

The City has also been asked to explain what work has previously been carried out at the site, why the sewer allegedly continues to overflow after repairs and whether Umqandane Road is included in any planned infrastructure or road rehabilitation programme.

The story will be updated once the City responds.