Frustrated residents of the Mariveni, Nkowankowa community in Limpopo are pleading for urgent government intervention to resolve a persistent raw sewage leakage that has plagued their area for over two months, turning their yards into health hazards.
The community has laid the blame squarely at the door of the Mopani District Municipality, accusing it of failing to address the critical service delivery failure. Local activist Isaac Hlungwane, who spoke out in a recent interview, detailed a trail of ignored reports and bureaucratic blame-shifting that has left families living amidst human waste.
According to Hlungwane, the issue was reported to their local councillor, who informed residents he was powerless to help. “He clearly told us that no one is listening to him,” Hlungwane stated, suggesting the inaction may be linked to internal “factional battles” between the councillor and the municipal administration.
The activist explained that while the sewage infrastructure belongs to Mopani District, the operational and maintenance responsibility lies with the Greater Tzaneen Municipality. He alleged that Greater Tzaneen Municipality removed the crucial pumps needed to manage the system for servicing in December 2025 and has failed to return or repair them.
“The director in the municipality… is saying that they are still trying to fix those pumps since last year, 17 December. There’s no resolution until now,” Hlungwane said.
The consequences for the community have been dire. Hlungwane painted a bleak picture of residents who “ate Christmas and entered the new year of 2026 with feces in their yards.” He reported that some have been forced to abandon their homes and relocate to nearby villages to escape the unsanitary conditions.
“We have tried everything that we can and no one seems to listen to our problems,” he said. “The Tzaneen municipality is always shifting blame to Mopani district. So we don’t know where to go as we speak now.”
Hlungwane, who identified himself as a member of the ANC in good standing, emphasized that the community’s plea transcends local politics. He directly called out Greater Tzaneen Municipality Mayor and the Mopani District Municipality spokesperson, noting that these leaders reside in the very area suffering from the spillage.
“We are fighting a battle where the leadership stays, and this leadership… is not giving any care about the community,” he asserted.
His greatest plea, he stated, is for basic service delivery. “We actually do not care about their politics. What we care about is that our people who are taxpayers must receive service delivery as they deserve.”
The community is now seeking escalation to the provincial government, having lost faith in the local municipal structures to solve a crisis that continues to worsen with each passing day.