Councillor Karl Bodin | Uncaring City Ignores Calls For Sewage Flooding Action Plan

The City of Cape Town has ignored calls for a plan of action to prevent recurrence of sewage flooding the streets and homes of Flamingo Vlei residents. Recently residents were evacuated due to health safety concerns, following the failure of City Officials to curb the flow of raw sewage into residents’ homes.

Over the weekend of 4 – 6 April, the normally quiet neighbourhood of Sprigg and Hof roads in Flamingo Vlei, was the scene of a sewage disaster which residents say they have never experienced before. The Table View East Pump Station, which had been operating on one pump, with both backup pumps out of operation, failed. This caused the mass flooding of all manholes on the sewer line in the area.

Following complaints from residents, we visited the site on Tuesday 8 April. It’s terrible that residents have been exposed to this traumatic experience. This was raw sewage, the roadway was still covered. From meeting with affected residents, we hear that their properties and homes were flooded.

Families had to be evacuated and I want to thank the City’s emergency services for doing a sterling job. However, not enough was done to assist residents. For example, Mr Tobie van Rhyn said, “I had asked for sand bags to be delivered timeously, and they never arrived. Instead empty bags were dumped on the other side of the already flooded roadway. If these sand bags had been delivered when requested, much of the “flooding and resultant damage would not have occurred.”

According to residents, seeing sewage flooding in their streets has been an almost monthly occurrence for almost two decades. Despite numerous emails to City Officials, asking for a plan of action to prevent recurrence, nothing has transpired.

This is unacceptable that residents have been living under these conditions for all these years and the City still hasn’t resolved the obvious shortcomings with the pump station. This is not only an environmental disaster, but could severely impact the health of these residents.

How is it possible that this pump station is without a back-up power generator? Whenever the electricity fails, the pump station fails and the sewage overflows into the streets. I have photographic evidence dating back to 2009, showing the roadway and properties flooded with sewage. When will this end?

I emailed the MAYCO member and Executive Director for Water and Sanitation on 9 April 2025, requesting them to provide me with their action plan with implementation dates. They haven’t even acknowledged receipt, let alone provided a plan. You would think that the City, which constantly reminds everyone that it’s a “Caring City”, would have taken immediate action last week and shared this plan. They owe it to the residents.

We have registered a criminal case at SAPS Table View against the City of Cape Town for contraventions of Sec 49A (1) (e) and (f) of the National Environmental Management Act, Act 107 of 1998 for investigation.

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