Publications
Partners
Residents of the Reahola housing complex, and ward 35 in general, are steeped in sewage problems and despite calls for help, the municipality and the Department of Human Settlements are turning a deaf ear.
These urgent problems have been continuously reported, yet nothing is being done and people are becoming ill, says Dr Igor Scheurkogel, ward 35 councillor.
He says one of the sewage system blockages is close to the Western Holdings Primary School.
“At one specific house in Rheederpark extention the owner had to leave his house and is now living in Wesselsbron because his house is being surrounded by sewage and he was getting sick. This is totally unacceptable, and residents have told me and this is the narrative on the ground Z that officials are deliberately sabotaging ward 35 and their residents,” says Scheurkogel.
Just like Reahola that is struggling with water issues, Scheurkogel says the Rheederpark situation is also a human rights infringement.
“If not acted upon, I will have no other choice than to lay another complaint with the Human Rights Commission (HRC).”
A week ago, Scheurkogel lodged a formal complaint against the Department of Human Settlements in the Free State and the Matjhabeng Local Municipality concerning the dire conditions at the Reahola housing complex in Stateway.
Neither of these departments have made any progress since 2021 to assist the residents who suffer from constant sewage blockages or ownership issues.
He says there is no refuse removal at Reahola, the high mass lights are not being repaired, and “fake” landlords are evicting people.
“They say the arrangements are being made through a certain Mr Shadrack, yet there are no deeds registered. Only five units have legal owners; the rest are owned by the Reahola Housing Association,” says Scheurkogel.
He says the Reaholoa residents are living in no man’s land because no government department wants to take responsibility for this complex.
“It seems that someone will only step in on the day that a block collapses because of the sewage below the structure or when someone dies.”
