COLCHESTER, EASTERN CAPE — More than two months after severe storms battered the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, residents in Colchester remain trapped in a worsening environmental and health crisis. The community is still battling stagnant, foul-smelling floodwater that has overtaken streets and backyards, raising urgent sanitation concerns across the Eastern Cape suburb.
The lingering disaster is the result of a brutal sequence of weather events. The area was first hit by devastating floods in early May, specifically around the 6th and 7th. Before the community could fully recover, a second wave of severe flooding struck around the 3rd and 4th of June. Now, more than two months later, the water has simply refused to recede.
The scale of the inundation is significant, with roughly 18 to 19 households completely flooded out. In some neighborhoods, the lack of street drainage has caused roadways to transform into what locals describe as a “complete dam,” causing ongoing damage to vehicles forced to navigate the submerged routes.
Beyond the property damage, the stagnant water has triggered a severe public health emergency. Because the Colchester area relies entirely on septic tanks, the prolonged submersion has created a highly toxic environment. As the water sits, septic tanks are overflowing, causing raw sewage to mix directly with the floodwater.
One resident, Simon, is currently dealing with the brunt of this biohazard. His backyard has been entirely filled with a dangerous mixture of sewage and stagnant water after his septic system overflowed into the deluge.
For other residents, the financial and emotional toll of managing the crisis alone has been immense. A local resident, Mr. Les, described the situation as an absolute nightmare. He initially attempted to pump the water out of his property, but the exercise proved entirely futile. Because the surrounding streets are also flooded and lack any drainage infrastructure, the pumped water simply flows right back into the neighborhood.
To protect his home, Mr. Les was forced to construct a barrier wall along his driveway. He has spent over 6,000 rand on crusher stone for the build and has had to repeatedly repurchase water pumps that burnt out from continuous use. With a young daughter at home and a wife who has been sick, the stress is compounded by the lack of external help. Taking matters into his own hands, Mr. Les has been purchasing and pouring chlorine into the water around his property to keep it clear and mitigate immediate health risks, though the untreated water further down remains dirty and foul-smelling.
The frustration is heavily tied to unfulfilled government promises. Following the June floods, Executive Mayor Babalwa Lobishe, alongside other municipal officials, traveled to Colchester to assess the damage. During the visit, the Mayor and her team spoke directly with the affected residents, assuring them that the municipality would return to assist. They specifically promised to send teams to extract the stagnant water from both the streets and private yards.
However, weeks have passed since that visit, and residents report seeing zero follow-up or assistance from the municipality.
With forecasts indicating that more rain is on the way, the community is bracing for the water levels to rise even further. The municipality was contacted for comment regarding the ongoing crisis and the delayed relief efforts, but no response had been provided at the time of publication.