Cable theft leaves Nelson Mandela Bay awash in raw sewage

One of the truths about the world that we choose not to discuss – with good reason – is that everyone needs to poo.

For that reason you would think that keeping a city’s wastewater treatment facilities in working order would be a top priority, and that steps would be taken to ensure that these crucial mechanisms are maintained.

But as you approach the Driftsands Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), behind the Chief Dawid Stuurman Airport in Nelson Mandela Bay, something smells off.

The stench is not emanating from the wastewater facility on the right side of the road, but rather from the bushes to the left. And a short trek down a dirt path quickly reveals a steady river of raw sewage flowing freely into the undergrowth.

For months, Driftsands has either been offline or operating at a very limited capacity. This means that everything flushed down the toilet in the suburb of Summerstrand and surrounds mostly passes through the WWTW untreated and contaminates the bushes 100m from the facility’s front gate.

The sewage not being processed at Driftsands is being diverted to a WWTW at Cape Recife. However, that facility does not have the processing capacity, and whatever is not diverted there ends up flowing into the bushes at Forest Hill, completely untreated.

Worsening vandalism

Cable theft, vandalism and red tape within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has led to the steady decline of the facility, and concerned citizens believe the situation will get much worse before it improves.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, one of the most impoverished communities in Gqeberha has had the exact same problem for years.

The residents of Kuyga can do little more than watch as raw sewage spills from manholes in the street. Their homes are sporadically flooded as blockages in drain pipes cause their toilets to back up and overflow.

Theft and vandalism has left the two pump stations servicing their ward dead in the water, and reports suggest that extortion rackets are among the reasons for municipal contractors failing to do repairs.

The woes at Driftsands started more than a year ago when the facility’s power supply was interrupted by cable theft.

The head of the Summerstrand Neighbourhood Watch (SNW), Ian Millar, said they would conduct regular patrols in the bushes as the area was rife with cable theft. The WWTW’s underground power lines run through the bushes, along a servitude that connects to a notorious crime hotspot, Walmer Township.

“About a kilometre from Driftsands’ fence we first noticed trenches being dug and power cables being removed. We would have regular meetings with City and law enforcement officials, informing them of what we saw, but the warning seemed to fall on deaf ears.”

The metre-deep trench has since stretched to within 50m of the security fence surrounding Driftsands. Along the trench there are telltale signs of cable theft – for example the charred remains of the metal cladding wrapped around high-voltage power cables. Cable thieves usually remove and burn the cladding to expose the copper wires inside.

Inside the WWTW, several tanks where human waste accumulates for processing are filled to the brim. The equipment used to break down solids and begin the process of breaking down the waste have ground to a halt.

Upon closer inspection it is apparent that criminal elements have been inside the facility. Plastic pipes around the sewage tanks have been smashed to expose electrical cables, some of which have already been severed. Wiring on pumps and machines on the tanks have also been stripped.

Ward 1 councillor, and former MMC for infrastructure, Dries van der Westhuizen said “millions” was spent to upgrade Driftsands about three years ago. However, about a year after the upgrade, cable theft and vandalism left the facility mostly non-operational.

“A massive generator had to be sourced to supply parts of the facility with power so that some of the sewage can be treated in emergencies. However, this was not feasible as this led to significant expenses and the generator could only run during business hours as there were no staff to man it at night.”

Even when it was running, the generator only powered parts of the facility, so the effluent remained largely untreated.

Budget lacking for Driftsands repairs

When queries about the WWTW were raised in departmental meetings last year, officials from the Electricity and Energy (E&E) department indicated that there was no budget available to repair power lines.

According to Van der Westhuizen, the Water and Sanitation department made R2.8-million available to E&E for the necessary repairs, but the work was never done.

“In one of the last council meetings of 2025 the water department again made R3-million available for the repairs. However, the virement [transfer] of the funds has not been actioned yet. Only once that has been done can the process of appointing a contractor start. So there is no clear indication when Driftsands will be fully operational again,” Van der Westhuizen said.

He said it was suggested that underground cables be replaced by overhead power lines, but Van der Westhuizen and Millar agree that the cables would still fall prey to cable thieves. An alternative is for the facility to install solar power, but this would first have to be debated at council.

Municipal spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya failed to respond to questions on the condition of Driftsands and its operations.

Pump stations vandalised

In Kuyga, residents have also suffered the consequences of vandalism at the Kuyga 1 and 2 sewage pump stations.

The damage has resulted in raw sewage spilling from manholes and streaming down streets, frequently flooding homes and causing toilets to back up due to persistent blockages.

Kuyga, on the western outskirts of Gqeberha, consists of formal low-cost [RDP] housing and informal settlements.

The area’s sanitation services rely on both chemical toilets and a waterborne sewage system that drains into the two pump stations.

However, after the removal of permanent security guards, both pump stations have become dysfunctional, and several years of vandalism and theft has resulted in infrastructure damage that poses serious environmental, health and operational challenges to the city’s sanitation system.

At the first pump station, the entire motor control centre (MCC) was removed and the high capacity pumps (T6-series Gorman Rupp models) were stripped of crucial components, including the rotating assemblies and end covers, and left non-operational.

All lighting fixtures and smaller electrical components were stolen. The transformer and approximately 800m of overhead power cable leading to the station were vandalised and removed.

To repair the pump station will cost the city R4.8-million.

At the second pump station, all mechanical and electrical components, including the transformer, power supply cable and MCC, have been stolen.

Despite the installation of riveted steel plates to reinforce the structure and prevent entry, the site remains vulnerable due to its location within a densely populated informal settlement.

Action plan for Kuyga

In a 19 November report to the acting city manager, Lonwabo Ngoqo, the acting executive director for infrastructure and engineering, Barry Martin, provides an action plan aimed at restoring the pump stations and improving security, with some delays identified.

“A mobile pump station has been built through an emergency contractor. This has been delivered to the Harrower Road depot and is ready for installation once electricity has been reinstated. An email has been sent to the electricity and energy directorate to fast track the reinstatement of electricity supply,” the report reads.

The report states that a T4 Gorman Rupp pump is readily available and will be installed once the electricity supply has been installed.

Martin highlighted in the report that an application was made to the electricity directorate on 10 August 2025 for the reconnection of the electrical overhead line, power supply cable and transformer, with several follow-ups. To date there has been no feedback.

Criminal complaint lodged

Ward 40 councillor, Jason Grobbelaar, said he reported sewage complaints to the City last year, but it was only after he opened a criminal case with the police that he got “honest” answers from the city.

“I was told that community members or business people are deliberately damaging the infrastructure so that contracts are awarded and then they solicit a protection fee from the contractor.”

Grobbelaar said sewage manholes are blocked with huge concrete slabs, which was very suspicious.

“The pump stations can’t pump the sewage away, the lines are now blocked with sludge because the sewage doesn’t reach the sump anymore where it would be sucked out to bring relief.”

Read more: Nelson Mandela Bay flushes drain contract, leaving questions about sewage response times

The damaged pump stations are just some of the challenges within the city’s Water and Sanitation department.

Officials anticipate that sewage spills and clean-up operations will also become a major concern after a key drain-cleaning contract expired earlier this month. DM