The gushing strontwater in Hazel Road, Belmore Avenue, Kismet and Ashraf Roads in Athlone had water and sanitation staff pumping non-stop over the last week.
Residents say the business hub, containing dozens of restaurants, stores and butcheries, as well as the Gatesville Melomed Hospital, have been plagued by poo water for a week.
It’s believed the blockage is being caused by some morsige shopowners who dump their garbage in the sewage system.
On Saturday, when the water started gushing from several drains in the roads, resident Sedick ‘Dicky’ Adams, 53, said he was making plans to take some home.
“It looked so pretty, gushing out of the road. We have not seen that much water of any kind in a while, so I was just standing there looking, wondering if I should get buckets filled and take it home, but then the smell hit me. Y oh, sister, mens se pwasa moet mos breek,” says Boeta Dicky.
He said Gatesville was now at it’s busiest time as Muslims start preparing for Eid ul Fitr.
Moulana Mogamat Aslam Cassiem, Ward 46 councillor, says teams from the Department of Water and Sanitation have been working hard to clear away the oily sludge.
“Jet machines and bucket trucks are being used clearing the waste in the system. Water, sanitation and reticulation has been working for more than a week on the problem, but illegal dumping into the system continues,” he says.
“Hundreds of litres of oily, sandy sludge have been removed and we are still attempting to trace its origin.”
And to make the evening just a little sweeter on Saturday, Golden Dish supplied boeka treats for Cassiem and the workers.