"I have seen that this does not only happen after heavy rain, but is definitely linked to the lagoon tides as well!" exclaimed a liquor store manager, who is often faced with this disgusting mess in the yard.
"The tenants may as well use a bucket and just toss it into their own yard," said a disgusted customer.
Property owner, Louis de Swardt, first brought this problem to the municipality's attention on October 3, 2005 and has since then written 27 letters addressing the ongoing problem. "It has now been seven years and still nothing has happened," said a frustrated and irate De Swardt.
Not only is the raw sewage a serious health hazard, but the municipality's response to the complaints was to hose the sewage straight into the stormwater drain, which eventually washed into the already stressed estuary.
A municipal spokesperson confirmed that the yard and surrounding areas were not only hosed down, but also disinfected during the hose-down.
Despite the fact that De Swardt has over the years written numerous letters to legal representative of the municipality, the spokesperson said, "Reports in this regard will soon be entering committee phase."
According to this spokesperson, "Certain properties in Nelson Street are the lowest in the CBD, which means that any kind of overflow will reach them first, whether it is rain or blockage related."
The spokesperson added that the Knysna Municipality is planning to upgrade the CBD sewer network, "which will make it less prone to blockages and flooding, and it is hoped that upgrades to these areas will start soonest."
When shown photographs depicting human waste and a used tampon, the municipal spokesperson insisted that the tampon had been picked up before hosing down the area, but offered no explanation why the human waste was washed into the stormwater drain.
Andrè Riley, SANPark area manager in Knysna, commented on the situation. "I am not familiar with the exact technical aspects of the sewer problems regarding this matter. I will take the matter up with the municipality in order to get a better understanding of the problem," he promised.
In the meantime residents of the area have to live with the health hazard, disgusting smell and sight of raw sewage as they have for the past seven years.
Raw sewage and human waste as seen in the yard of a Nelson Street property. This problem has been ongoing for years.
ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD JOURNALIST
