A war of words has erupted between a pensioner, Mr Liton Mugagadeli, and the Thulamela local municipality (TLM).

The centre of their dispute is the connection of a sewerage system at Mugagadeli's house in Block F, site 1055, portion 19.

Mugagadeli (68), a former official of the Department of Transport, said his problems started in 2007 when he bought a site from the Thulamela municipality and built a house. "I spent a lot of money building my house and, on completion, I asked the municipality to connect the sewerage. For seven years I have been taken from pillar to post, with so many excuses being given for the non-connection. Sometimes these people would apologise for the delay and promise that it would be taken up as an urgent case, but seven years down the line, it has not been done," he said.

He said the last time he went there to complain was last August and was given an assurance in writing that it would be done very soon. Showing a copy of the letter he got from the municipality last year in September, Mugagadeli said the non-connection of the sewer was causing a lot of problems at his home. "Just imagine a six-roomed house in a township with no toilets. This is not a rural area where people still use the bush to relieve themselves. These people should just come and do their work, finish and klaar,” he said.

Mugagadeli is blaming his problem on incompetent officials who are not fit for the work. "There is no service in this municipality. I have been paying full service for the site for seven years, but they fail just to connect my sewerage. This is unacceptable; somebody is not doing his work. If they do not rectify their mistakes, people will decide to take their votes somewhere else," he said.

Thulamela municipality spokesperson Mr Ndwamato Tshiila said the municipality had an open-door policy which Mugagadeli was well aware of. "If Mr Mugagadeli feels that he is not attended to well, he is at liberty to visit my office or any other relevant office, where he will be assisted," he said.