Frustrated by the lack of action a former operations manager at the company, reached out to the Newcastle Advertiser for assistance in addressing the issue with the local municipality.
Since the problem began he has made countless calls to the municipality.
“In the beginning, they would come and pump the overflowing sewage stations, but within days, the problem would return,” he explained.
A journalist from the Newcastle Advertiser visited the site and witnessed firsthand the overflowing sewage stations that were leaking both underground and into the surrounding area.
This ongoing sewage issue has disrupted the company’s production facilities, creating unpleasant odours, posing potential health risks, and raising fears of contamination of local water sources.
“We’ve tried everything we can think of,”he said.
“We’ve invested in repairs and contacted the municipality numerous times, but each time we were told our concerns would be addressed; yet nothing has changed.”
He believes that the issue stems from an overloaded sewage system, with insufficient pipes to accommodate the increasing number of homes, housing complexes, and businesses in Newcastle.
“Some of my employees have to take breaks and eat amid this stench. I worry about their health,” he added. The mounting frustration has resulted from repeated inquiries to the municipality, which have yielded little more than unfulfilled promises.
To escalate the issue, the company has gone public to rally community support and prompt the municipality to take action. After the Newcastle Advertiser submitted a media inquiry on October 18, the municipality initially did not respond. A follow-up inquiry on October 21 led to a promise that the issue would be escalated to the “relevant team.”
A team did eventually visit the business, but the former manager noted that their visit was late in the afternoon without any tangible results other than another promise to return the next day.
A week later, the newspaper was informed that the municipality was ‘assembling a team’ to address the issue. So far, no action has been taken.
“The lack of communication from the municipality is disheartening,” he stated. “We’re not just a business; we’re part of this community, and we care about the environment. It’s hard to understand why our concerns have been overlooked for so long.”
For now, the employees at the business remain hopeful that raising public awareness will prompt the municipality to act.
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