Hope is fading, health is failing, and dignity is taken away: Emfuleni families cry for help

In Emfuleni, desperation runs as deep as the sewage flooding its streets and homes. Families wake up to the stench of human waste seeping through their floors, forced to live in filth while their pleas for help go unanswered. Hope is fading, health is failing, and dignity is being washed away with every spillage. This is no longer just a service delivery failure — it’s a humanitarian crisis unfolding in plain sight.

In this edition of The Star — part one of our “Emfuleni Drowning in Sewage” series — we visited Evaton, where residents have endured severe sewage spills for over 30 years.

In one heartbreaking scene, a 100-year-old grandmother lives with raw sewage seeping through her yard, the toxic stench hanging thick in the air.

Nearby, a disabled child is trapped by flooded pathways, and a four-month-old baby lies vulnerable to health risks no infant should ever face. This is no longer just a service delivery issue — it is a humanitarian crisis. Emfuleni is drowning, not just in sewage, but in silence, neglect, and forgotten lives.

Grace Moloasi, Evaton’s eldest resident, who will be turning 100 in October, revealed that for more than 30 years, she has been living with sewage spillage in her yard. The constant presence of bacteria from the sewage has severely impacted her health.

"I've been living with this sewage in my yard for over 30 years, and it's affecting my health. At my age, I never imagined things would get this bad, and still, nothing changes," said Moloasi.

She also added, they can not even open doors or windows for fresh air anymore, the stench of sewage just invades the whole house.

More than 20 houses in the area echo the same desperate cry, as residents face the harsh reality of living with sewage spillage in both their homes and yards. “We live in fear, with every step we take, the stench of sewage follows us. It's in our homes, it's in our lives, and it's slowly breaking us down," one resident said, capturing the overwhelming sense of helplessness felt by many.

Uphilisiwe Mkhonza, a heartbroken mother from Evaton, lives a daily nightmare, caring for her 14-year-old disabled child in a home overrun by sewage. With raw waste flooding both their yard and inside their house, she says there are days they can't even use the bathtub or toilet. Her child, who suffers from hydrocephalus and relies on a VP shunt and feeding tube, is constantly exposed to dangerous bacteria. 

“He’s always getting sick. This is not just sewage — it’s a threat to my child’s life,” said Mkhonza, her voice trembling with exhaustion.

She shared that her son frequently suffers from infections that lead to his VP shunt getting blocked, forcing them to return to Steve Biko Hospital for surgeries.

"Every time we go back to the hospital, the doctors ask me where we live because the infections won’t stop… they don’t understand the environment and conditions we live under,” Mkhonza said

The frustrated mother said Emfuleni municipality is well aware of her situation, especially during election periods when officials would visit her home. She had held onto hope that things would improve after they saw firsthand how the sewage crisis was endangering her child’s health, but nothing changed.

Mkhonza shared that her health has also taken a toll, as she now suffers from sinus problems — a condition she never had before. 

The Mkhonza family, who rely on their backyard aluminium business for a livelihood, said they’ve been forced to halt operations due to persistent sewage overflows. With the yard constantly submerged in waste, work has become impossible, and even when the water dries up, the unbearable stench lingers for days.

Another resident, Banga Mashezi, shared that her home has become known in the community as “the sewage house” due to the relentless spillage she endures. Out of all the affected homes, hers is said to be the worst. Raw sewage constantly overflows from the toilet inside her small RDP house, where she lives with her daughter and a four-month-old baby, putting their health and dignity at serious risk.

“I’m usually awakened by sewage spilling inside my home. Even today, I was practically swimming in faeces,” said Mashezi. “I have a small baby and a six-year-old who was also exposed to this mess. He’s now in Grade 1, and still, nothing has changed — there’s no improvement at all.”

Mashezi expressed her deep frustration, stating that she is tired of waiting for the municipality after years of empty promises. She believes the only real solution is for the government to provide her with a new home, as she refuses to continue raising her children in such inhumane and hazardous conditions.

"My grandchildren are always getting sick from this sewage, especially the four-month-old, who keeps getting blocked. We’re breathing it, we’re eating it. It’s unbearable," said the exhausted mother. 

Hezekia Shabalala, the Democratic Alliance (DA) PR Councillor in Ward 24, said residents have pinned their hopes on him, often calling him in desperation when sewage floods their homes. He recalled receiving a distress call as early as 5am, with a resident pleading for help as raw sewage poured through their living space.

“I received a call at around 5am this morning from one of the residents complaining about the sewer spillage that was coming out of their bathrooms and toilets, and their yards were swimming in the sewer. 

I went there and I witnessed the situation. Eight houses were affected. This issue has been occurring since the area was developed.”

He added that, as a DA Public Representative, he has reported the issue numerous times to the relevant departments in an effort to get it resolved. He has also held meetings with affected residents to provide feedback and keep them informed on any developments.

“Every time we report, they come and say it got fixed, but after a few days, the sewage comes out again.”

Shabalala alleged that the root of the ongoing sewage crisis stems from poor infrastructure planning, claiming that when the RDP houses were built, smaller pipes were installed instead of the larger ones needed to handle the community’s waste system.

“It has been said that by the look of things, it seems as if smaller pipes were installed instead of bigger ones. That's why the sewer is congested and keeps on blocking now and then.”

He further stated that the residents are living in a hazardous health health-threatening environment. ‘We therefore demand that Emfuleni local municipality come up with a permanent solution to this issue as it is long overdue.’

We tried to get a comment from the local councillor, but we were not successful at the time of publishing. 

Watch Video here: https://rumble.com/v6sfbot-hope-is-fading-health-is-failing-and-dignity-is-taken-away-emfuleni-familie.html

The Star

masabata.mkwananzi@inl.co.za