Boseja residents demand relocation of stinking dam

LERATO MALEKE
Correspondent | Tuesday October 23, 2012 00:00

 

The residents informed the MP that the smell from the dam is horrible and gets worse at night or when ducks go there to swim. The dam was built by Kgatleng District Council (KDC) years ago when Boseja North was still a masimo. The residents have asked KDC to reconsider relocating the dam. They told Mabiletsa that the smell poses a health hazard particularly to those staying near the dam.

The MP agreed and informed them that he will take their complaint to the relevant authorities. The residents appealed to government to build a primary school where the sewage dam is. They said the current one, Lady Mitchison, cannot cater for all children in the ward. They informed the MP that they have a problem with flooding roads and yards during heavy rains. Mabiletsa put the blame on the old Land Board, which he said was allocating plots in an old out-dated manner. 'Therefore it is difficult to control this water flooding your yards,' he said.

Land board officials were present at the meeting and took note. The residents suggested that more culverts should be constructed to fight flooding.  Kgosana Time Pilane said that the ward seems to be the worse affected by power cuts. 'It seems Boseja North is the worst when it comes to power cuts,' he said.

Mabiletsa said he would take their queries to the relevant authorities but warned that government  is still facing problems due to the economic recession. The Boseja North residents complained about the high bills from Water Utilities Corporation (WUC). They said they pay huge amounts which they cannot be accountable for. 'We pay a lot of money as if we have irrigation pipes in our yards,' said a Boseja resident.

However, officials from WUC informed the residents that they have not increased the water rates and that they are still charging like the defunct Water Affairs. 'Its only a little, which cannot make you cry,' said a WUC employee.This is not the firm time Kgatleng residents are complaining about high water bills. They recently complained about the charges at a Kgotla meeting addressed by the Kgatleng District Council (KDC) chair in Ramotlabaki village. The residents said they cannot install stand pipes in their yards because they fear the bills.