DURBAN, KwaZulu-Natal — The escalating eThekwini sewage crisis has left Durban residents demanding immediate answers from municipal leaders, as a damaged highway pipeline and failing wastewater infrastructure trigger severe public health hazards across several suburbs.
Since 2022, communities in areas such as Merebank have battled persistent sewage leaks. While a damaged pipeline beneath the M4 highway was recently repaired, locals argue that the prolonged delays in fixing the issue allowed stagnant water to pool, resulting in a severe mosquito infestation. Residents are now questioning whether the municipality has adequately cleaned and rehabilitated the affected zones following the repairs.
The crisis extends well beyond the highway. Suburbs including Phoenix, Avoca Hills, and Reservoir Hills are experiencing daily bursts of aging water and sewage pipelines, a situation exacerbated by a lack of infrastructure maintenance in and around local railway lines. Highlighting the systemic nature of the region’s wastewater struggles, the municipality’s Green Drop compliance report stood at a dismal 46% in June 2026—falling drastically short of its 90% annual target.
Frustrated locals say their warnings about the impending health hazards have been ignored by officials who dismiss them as laymen. “Simple logic explains to anyone that stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” noted a community representative, emphasizing the toll the infestation is taking on lower-income families. Households are being forced to spend extra money on repellents and incense sticks just to secure a peaceful night’s sleep for their children.
The situation is particularly dire on Himalaya Road. A severe leak originating from a nearby taxi rank has streamed toward residential homes beside the M4 bridge and railway lines. The raw sewage has damaged properties, left an unbearable stench, and forced the entire neighborhood to keep their windows shut tight against the swarms of insects.
Addressing the community’s outcry, a local ward councillor confirmed that the matter has been continuously escalated to senior municipal officials alongside community leaders and health and safety portfolio committees. However, the councillor noted that residents are routinely met with bureaucratic delays. “The municipality will always refer to budgets and supply chain management processes, which they have to follow, but it creates a delay in addressing the issue,” the councillor explained.
In response to the mounting public pressure, an eThekwini Municipality spokesperson acknowledged receiving the community’s grievances. The spokesperson confirmed that officials are actively engaging with the affected households and that environmental health officers will be dispatched to the affected areas to assess the situation and attend to the residents’ complaints on the ground.
