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Bloemfontein - A Bloemfontein couple who claimed damages after a sewage “bomb” hit them, has received an out of court settlement after more than two-and-a-half years.
Johnny, 60, and 59-year-old Elize Baldock’s lives were turned upside down when a septic tank belonging to the Mangaung metro exploded at the Bloemspruit sewage works, Netwerk24 reports.
They were swept away by a thick stream of sewage which was in the tank to decompose. Megalitres of sewage sprayed out of the tank. Their car, a Ford Ka, was so badly damaged that it had to be written off.
Their lawyer said one of the provisos for the settlement was that no details be made public.
However, Johnny, a tradesman who works for the metro not far from where the septic tank exploded, said they didn’t get what they had claimed.
Volksblad earlier reported that they had claimed R1.5 million.
Septic tank
Elize almost drowned in the sewage. She was covered in sewage from head to toe. There was sewage in her eyes, ears, nose and throat.
Elize claimed R887 037 and Johnny R710 971 in total. Elize and Johnny each claimed R400 000 for pain and suffering and R250 000 each for emotional trauma.
Elize also claimed R200 000 for a knee replacement operation. She had been forced to crawl out of the sewage on her knees, despite having undergone a knee replacement just months earlier.
They claim that the Mangaung metro was negligent in that it didn’t make sure that the valve of the septic tank was not clogged or, alternatively, open enough to prevent pressure building up.
The metro’s spokesperson, Qondile Khedama, said he would only be able to respond to queries later.
