Pest Control Experts Confirm Fly Infestation in Gauteng, South Africans Irritated

• A pest control company confirmed that Gauteng residents are experiencing a fly infestation
• This came after social media users complained of battling a swarm of flies constantly
• The company's technical manager said that the hot and humid weather contributed to increased visibility of flies, and Briefly News spoke to residents of Evaton about their experiences

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered accidents, fires, outbreaks, nature, weather and natural disaster-related incidents at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for seven years.

GAUTENG — South Africans have been battling a fly infestation and a pest control expert confirmed that it is caused by the hot weather conditions. Gauteng residents shared their experiences.

Is there a fly infestation?

According to The South African, Rentokil's technical manager, Mario Pluke said the hot and humid weather conditions contribute to the fly infestation. He said flies breed in such conditions and are attracted to unpleasant odours and strong food scents. These may emanate from animal waste or trash.

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How to deal with flies

Pluke added that flies breed at a rapid rate when exposed to even a small trace of food. His company has experienced an increase in pest control requests from homeowners. He said that cleaning and disinfecting surfaces regularly to eliminate food residue can help in managing the infestation. He also recommended that trash be disposed of in sealed bins and that bins must be cleaned.

Briefly News speaks to residents

Speaking to Briefly News, residents from Evaton in Emfuleni, Gauteng complained that the heat and living close to illegal dumping sites compounded the presence of flies. Matshepo Motobatse said the rising temperatures make it challenging for them to win the fight.

"Living near an illegal dumping site makes it even more difficult for me to keep the flies away because I have to clean regularly and use an obscene amount of insect repellants, but to no avail," she said.

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John Mahlangu told Briefly News that the constant power outages in Sebokeng amplified the presence of flies. He pointed out that he, too, lives near a dumping site.

"Yoh, whenever the power goes out, our meat gets spoiled and we must throw it away. The flies swarm around our houses because of the heat and the smell of rotting food, and the dumping site near our homes is a stumbling block," he said.

More stories about infestations

• A TikTok video of fumigation went viral in 2023, and it showed countless cockroaches escaping the fumes
• A student from a university in South Africa shared a video of a rat infestation on campus in September 2024
• Another student shared a video of a rat infestation on a university campus in October

Cockroach runs into bread in video

In a related article, Briefly News reported that a cockroach ran into a loaf of bread in a viral video. The incident happened in 2023 at a bakery in Dobsonville, Soweto, and it left many people stunned.

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In the clip, the man is shown lifting the bread which the roach ran into. The roach runs for cover and escapes. South Africans were disappointed in the bakery.

"What happened to inspectors of this country, though?"

Source: Briefly News