Mugabe government's failures

A BULAWAYO family has abandoned its home as raw sewage is flowing into the house following sewer pipe bursts.A Chronicle news crew yesterday visited House Number 857 in Emakhandeni suburb and found raw sewage flowing into the three-roomed house.The flowing sewage has caused a stench that is sweeping across the area, a development that has sparked widespread complaints from residents. The house’s yard has also been invaded by green flies and neighbours are now living in fear of a cholera outbreak that has claimed hundreds of lives country-wide.Although the family, could not be traced yesterday, details obtained by Chronicle showed that the main reason for deserting the house was because of the raw sewage. Speaking in separate interviews, neighbours said the family left the house two weeks ago.“The sewage has always been a problem and the last tenants tried to keep up with the problem, but could not take it anymore. It is two weeks now and there has been no one in the house,” said Mr Thando Mlilo, a neighbour. The sewer pipes were reportedly bursting every week.“They were reporting the matter to the council but their efforts were fruitless as the council failed to fix the problem. “Ever since 2006 this house has been having this problem, forcing the owners to leave and put lodgers,” said Miss Nomathemba Khuphe, another neighbour.The burst, which occurred in the toilet, has posed a serious health hazard as it has spilled into the house, overflowing even into the bedroom.“The sewage overflows to the bedroom and there is no room that has been spared. This was making it hard for the occupants, as they had to clean raw sewage everyday,” said another neighbour.Efforts to get a comment from the Bulawayo City Council were fruitless yesterday.