Cowdray Park residents drowning in sewage

Residents of Section 1A in Bulawayo's Cowdray Park suburb say they are living in increasingly unbearable conditions as raw sewage floods their homes, a result of a crumbling drainage system that has left the area in a persistent health crisis.

What was once a routine municipal service has turned into a public health nightmare, with sewage routinely spilling into homes and yards, especially during the rainy season or whenever the city restores water supplies. Despite repeated appeals, residents say authorities have offered only empty promises without tangible action.

Michael Ndlovu, a representative of Ward 28 under the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA), said the infrastructure had gone decades without proper maintenance.

"These drainages haven't been repaired since the time of Ian Smith. We're now forced to live among faeces and disease. The council should just admit it has run out of resources because clearly nothing has been done to help residents," Ndlovu said. He described the issue as no longer just a sanitation crisis but a humanitarian emergency affecting more than 40 homes.

"Children are getting sick. Some people can't even cook inside their homes because the smell is unbearable. The council keeps saying they're ‘planning.' We're tired of plans. We want action. When they do come, they patch things up, and the next day the drains are blocked again," he said.

Patrick Sibanda, another resident, spoke of the daily struggle against contamination.

"My house smells of faeces. When the drainage system blocks, it's not just water, it's sewage from the shops flowing into our yards and homes. When I flush the toilet, I get waste coming from the terminus instead of my own. We try to sit down and eat, but all we can smell is sewage," he said.

Noxolo Mahlangu said she has been cleaning sewage from her home every week for three years.

"I put sand on it to absorb the smell. I've been doing this for years. Sometimes when water is brought in the evening, I have to mop and sweep through sewage in the dark while my children cry from the smell. This is my life - sand, water, faeces, repeat," she said.

Another resident, Thabani Ndebele, said the situation has severely affected his health.

"I got sick cleaning up the mess. I've been to hospital more than four times because I was infected by the sewage. The last time council workers came to unblock the pipes, sewage burst out and they just left. They didn't even come back to clean it up," he said.

Ward 28 Councillor Ntando Ndlovu acknowledged the crisis and said the local authority is undertaking daily maintenance to manage the situation.

"The council is aware of the persistent sewer blockages in Section 1A, near the terminus. Our teams are conducting daily maintenance, including rodding, jetting, and winching to manage and relieve blockages as they occur," Councillor Ndlovu said.

He admitted the city's resources are stretched thin due to widespread sewer chokes and limited response capacity. To ease the burden, the council has subcontracted private companies to assist with technical assessments and remedial works.

He confirmed there were no current plans to relocate or compensate affected residents, as efforts remain focused on resolving the root of the problem. A private contractor has been engaged to replace sewer lines and manholes in the worst-affected areas.

"These upgrades are part of broader efforts to improve infrastructure reliability and prevent future blockages," Ndlovu said, adding that updates would be shared via the council's Public Relations Office and his ward office. A community liaison officer is also working with subcontractors to ensure residents' concerns are addressed.

Ndlovu admitted, however, that delays in service delivery were partly due to shortages of vehicles, equipment, and personnel.

"We recognise the burden this has placed on residents. We are working to optimise the use of available resources to reach all affected areas as swiftly as possible," he said.

Asked how long it would take to resolve the crisis, Ndlovu said the council could not provide a definitive timeline due to the technical complexity of the work and unpredictable challenges.

"One of the contributing factors is the city's ongoing water shortages, which hinder sewer flow and worsen blockages. Nevertheless, we remain committed to finding a permanent solution," he said.