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Nkanini residents say the constant blockage of toilets through lack of maintenance is causing their children to fall ill.
According to them, each toilet is shared by three households that comprise of more or less five people, which translates to about 15 souls sharing a single toilet.
However, Thembinkosi Mcotshana (45), said it is the manner in which the toilets are built that causes them to block.
Mcotshana said the toilets were half-buried in the sand, which interferes with the sewage system, as they overlook a little dune, with some doors failing to be closed.
“We have been reporting this to the authorities for the past two years, to no avail,” he said. As a result, the place is teeming with flies and mosquitoes, attracted by the filth in these toilets.
“We are not asking for much but for the toilets to be fixed so we can live decently as human beings.”
Another resident, Phelisa Mboyana (34), said they struggle to relieve themselves, and it is even worse at night.
“During the day it is much better because we can go around looking for toilets that work and ask to use them, while at night we have to use pails in our homes, which is not healthy at all. My children are sick as a result of the conditions of these toilets because children are children; they play,” she said.
Mboyana also said they have reported the matter but no one ever came to fix the problem and they feel neglected.
Ward 95 councillor Andile Lili said even though this matter was never brought to him, the problem was not particular to Nkanini residents only, but was prevalent in other areas.
“There are a lot of similar cases in informal settlements. The challenge of the City of Cape Town is the infighting within the ruling party, which affects service delivery.”
He said since there is no uncertainty over the mayor, service delivery suffers, and our communities are being affected.
