In the streets of Alphandale in East London, a foul undercurrent threatens daily life.
For more than three years, raw sewage has oozed underneath a few houses on Labans Street, leaving residents desperate for intervention.
Now adding to their woes is a fractured municipal drain at No 54 on the same street, which is now directing the flow of sewage to homes of three families.
Residents say this “disaster” began as overflows, which had now crusted into a toxic sludge, channelled waste past their kitchen doors and under foundations, turning their yards into no-go zones for their children. They told the Go! how they choke on the relentless stench — a mix of rot and despair that seeps into every meal and breath they take.
Buffalo City Municipality (BCM), despite pleas, site visits, and a desperate letter, has offered fleeting fixes that fade fast.
On New Year’s Eve, BCM officials came to assess the job they had to do, but then vanished, leaving families barricaded indoors.
An inquiry was sent to BCM last week, but at the time of print deadline, the municipality had not sent its response. Moses Exford said his family endured leaks from “outdated” pipes, with sewage water spilling into his yard.
“This is poisoning the air we breathe. This sewage system is leaking and it’s outdated because it’s been there for years. The bad smell is killing us.
“We even have fresh water leaks here,” said Exford.
Vinny Eastrace said hosting visitors amid the reek since November had been a never-ending nightmare.
“I cannot take this smell any more. We get visitors and we have to eat with them in this smell. It’s unhealthy … children playing here, people’s yards are wet.
“Raw materials, everything you don’t want to see is just filtering through.
“The water is not flowing, it’s seeping because there’s a crust that has formed over time. It’s going to get worse,” said Eastrace.
Another resident, Frankie Gould, said the issue had been ongoing for three years.
He said the floors in his house were “soggy” as a result.
“I have been calling the municipality for years now. It’s flowing now and we need help because the situation has deteriorated.”
Joslin Leander said a BCM crew arrived three weeks back but had ghosted them since.
Bianca Swarts said the six children living with her at her house we unable to play inside the yard.
“We can’t open the back door,” she said.
Their letter screams urgency: “Manholes spew into yards, walls crumble from saturation, health hangs by a thread.
“This isn’t mere inconvenience it’s a petri dish for disease, as stagnant sewage breeds pathogens, luring pests and risking cholera outbreaks in vulnerable communities.”
