What do I note when the sewer overflows again?
A recurring overflow is easier to report and to quote when you have the details. Note which fixtures or drains are affected, and whether it is the same one each time. Note whether neighbours have the same problem, and whether it follows rain. Write down when it started, and any reference numbers from earlier reports to the City.
A Plainsman report of 27 May 2025 says the City names misuse as the main cause of sewer blockages in Sub-council 12. It says crews were using bucket machines on a 600 mm collector sewer parallel to Swartklip Road. That is the City's statement, not a finding about your street. Keep people and pets away from suspected sewage and avoid contact. Stop using the affected toilet or drain. The City says blocked and overflowing sewers can be dangerous to your health.
Where do I report a street sewer overflow in Mitchells Plain?
Report it to the City. Call 0860 103 089 (the prompts guide you), or send an SMS to 31373. The online portal at capetown.gov.za/servicerequests is the third route. Keep the reference you get.
A blockage on your own property is different. City guidance: for private property call a registered plumber, and for the street or public land call the City. Our guide on who clears a blocked drain, you or the City explains the by-law and who pays.
Drain trouble in Mitchells Plain? Ask for a quote, or call 060 086 9889 and say where you are.
Which Mitchells Plain neighbourhoods do we cover?
Mitchells Plain is made up of named neighbourhoods. They include Rocklands, Westridge, Portland, Tafelsig, Eastridge, Beacon Valley, Lentegeur, Woodlands and Weltevreden Valley. Others are Colorado Park, Mandalay, Montclair, Watergate, Heinz Park, Morgans Village, Strandfontein Village, Westgate, Montrose Park and Lost City. We take requests from all of them.
The suburb sits on the Cape Flats on the False Bay coast, between Muizenberg and Khayelitsha. Its neighbours on the Cape Flats are covered under plumber in the Cape Flats, and for other places open where we work. When you ask for a quote, give the neighbourhood name.
Which jobs can I ask about in Mitchells Plain?
A blocked drain that keeps coming back is worth describing in detail. If it returns, say so in your request. You can also ask about leak detection or a geyser repair or replacement. The plumbing services page lists the full set, and what a plumber costs gives ballparks.
Questions people ask
What should I record when my sewer overflows more than once?
Note which drains are affected, whether neighbours are too, whether it follows rain, and any earlier report numbers. Then tell the City or us.
Report a street overflow to the City on 0860 103 089. Describe a problem on your own property in your request.
Who do I call for a flooded yard in winter?
It depends what the water is. Sewage from a street manhole or gully is the City's: call 0860 103 089.
A flooded yard could be sewage, stormwater or a leak, and you may not know which. Describe what you see. Stormwater belongs in the street or the stormwater system, never the sewer.
Why are there concrete slabs on some manholes in Mitchells Plain?
The City says it fitted heavy-duty concrete slabs to some manholes in the area to stop illegal dumping of foreign objects into the sewer.
The Plainsman reported that some manholes sit above ground level, which makes placing slabs difficult. The City is investigating other measures against misuse.