Motorists navigating Rooibok Avenue in Hutten Heights are being issued a cautionary advisory as the Newcastle Municipality takes measures to address a longstanding sewage concern that has been affecting Pick n Pay and adjacent businesses for several months.

Municipal authorities have dispatched a team equipped with an excavator to the site in order to excavate the area and ascertain the precise cause of the sewage overflow.
Newcastillian News initially reported on the sewage overflow on 26 October 2023, where it was explained how a large pool of raw sewage had formed on the premises of the shopping centre, before flowing down Rooibok Avenue, impacting both the businesses and residents of the area.
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Councillor Bertie Meiring of the Newcastle Municipality acknowledged the ongoing repairs but noted that adverse weather conditions have impacted progress. Councillor Meiring elaborated by stating, “The work on the sewage line on Rooibok, near Pick n Pay, has been held back by the rain. The Newcastle Municipality booked a high pressure machine to open the line and will then continue with the excavating. It could take the whole week before the work is completed.”
While the authorities actively address one sewage issue, another problem along Drakensberg Drive in Pioneer Park has left Newcastillians in discomfort, as a manhole continuously discharged untreated sewage for the past several months.
This troublesome manhole is interconnected with a sewage pipeline traversing a small field opposite the shopping centre on John Parks Road.
Wanting to remain anonymous, a concerned resident said, “The sewerage is truly horrendous and unhygienic, and people often find themselves driving through it with their vehicles. There’s also a nearby high school, and students and other pedestrians must try to get past this filth without walking through it.”
While the health risks are disconcerting, the resident claimd she had reported the issue, while expressing frustration at the inaction, particularly when the stench lingers around the adjacent shopping centre, especially during hot weather. “I’ve made multiple reports, but nothing has been done.”
Furthermore, Councillor Bebsie Cronje of the Newcastle Municipality has raised an alarm over the ongoing sewage leak, underscoring it as a pressing concern demanding unwavering attention.
Councillor Cronje stated, “I reported the matter last year to the relevant directors and the technical team, and I have maintained a weekly reporting routine ever since.”
The enduring issue, suspected to originate from a damaged pipe, has led Councillor Cronje to assert her dedicated commitment to resolving the matter. She added, “I reported the matter last year to the appropriate directors and the technical team, and I’ve continued to report it on a weekly basis ever since.”
As one sewage challenge undergoes remediation and another remains pending, we invite our readers to share their perspectives on these issues in the comment section below.
Your insights and views are crucial as we collectively contemplate these pressing matters.