Hout Bay basketballers dodge poo between passes

Hout Bay's basketballers don't just have to dodge their opponents on the court - they also have to side-step overflowing sewage while executing jump shots and three-pointers.

From dirty nappies to used sanitary pads, overflowing sewage continues to be a nuisance at the Hout Bay sports complex.

Hout Bay Snipers Basketball Club have been using the facility and raising the issue for more than a decade, but play continues as there is a lack of recreational space in the area.

Marianne Burke from the club started a petition which quickly went viral. This came after residents started making recordings of the overflowing waste on the basketball court, while in the background, children continued to play.

Ms Burke wrote: "The club is plagued by a persistent and hazardous issue: raw sewage overflowing into our basketball court and clubhouse. Despite our tireless efforts and repeated pleas to the City of Cape Town authorities since 2015, this problem remains unresolved."

She said the situation is now dire, as they have raw sewage erupting from both the clubhouse and the main line drain, creating an unbearable environment for the children playing on the courts and visitors.

"We've witnessed City officials visit our facility, only to seemingly patch up the issue temporarily, without addressing the underlying problems," Ms Burke said.

"This isn't just a matter of inconvenience; it's a serious health hazard. The prolonged exposure to sewage poses significant risks to the well-being of everyone who uses our facility, including basketball players, coaches, and spectators. Moreover, this issue affects not only our club but also other sporting codes and community groups that utilize the sports complex."

Basketball enthusiast and Imizamo Yethu resident, Luyanda Lasedi, said it was actually safer to play in the street rather than near the sewage.

Mr Lasedi had regularly accompanied a group of children to the facility for afternoon sessions on the court, but said it has become "unbearable".

"If you are only approaching the courts and start smelling human faeces, imagine what it's like trying to practice or play a match on those courts," he said.

"This problem is much bigger than we think and that is why the City is not fixing this properly."

He said during one of his last visits to the complex, it had rained the day before, causing a river of sewage to run across the courts.

"There was literally poo everywhere, old toilet paper and other things just scattered everywhere and the kids are running around in between this. Of course this is a health hazard, not just to the children, but everyone in Hout Bay," he said.

The basketball's clubs petition has been live for just over a month, but already managed to rack up nearly 1500 signatures.

The petition called on the City to conduct a thorough investigation into the root causes of the issue, implement a comprehensive and permanent solution to rectify the sewage problem and to ensure that the facility is kept "safe, clean, and fit for use".

"We cannot continue to tolerate this situation. We need your support to bring about change. Let's unite to protect the health, well-being, and dignity of our community. Join us in calling on the City of Cape Town authorities to take responsibility and resolve this crisis once and for all," the petition read.

Earlier this year, the City of Cape Town unveiled plans to upgrade Hout Bay's pipe network and halt the frequent pipe bursts plaguing the area. During a public meeting held at Hout Bay library in March, the City presented detailed plans of high-pressure pipeline upgrades, scheduled to start in October next year, ("Pipe project valued at R56m to quell Hout bay leaks", Sentinel News, March 19, 2025).

Last year, Sentinel reported that the City had replaced more than 3300m of water pipes in Hout Bay with a further 2300m set to be done soon, however, the project has yet to stop the pipe bursts plaguing the community ('Pipe repairs a ‘plaster on a bleeding wound’)

In January this year, there was another pipe burst in Imizamo Yethu that sent the community into a frenzy after it caused extensive flooding there ('Pipe burst causes flooding misery in IY')

During the meeting in March, it was confirmed that the water reticulation network in Hout Bay is ageing and operates under high pressure to accommodate the area's steep terrain.

Ward councillor Roberto Quintas said complaints have been rolling in over the years, and in recent times, more frequently.

"We have had a long experience of complaints and incidences, largely caused by abuse to the (sewerage) system," Mr Quintas said,

The City has now appointed a contractor to do a realignment of the sewer line and other remedial works.

Mr Quintas said another issue was roots and soil ingress into the system.

"The facility has over time experienced more and more of these challenges, hence the process was started to do infrastructural work as opposed to simply doing cleansing and maintenance as needed. We are hopeful that the purchase order for works will be signed off early this week, which will then see the contractor come to site," Mr Quintas said.

He said the sports complex is cleaned and sanitised as and when required.

"We have put up tape to prevent access to the area affected, however, players often remove this," he said.