SJC held a public hearing on flush toilets in Khayelitsha

Mluleki Mrwebi
20 July 2014

The Social Justice Coalition and Ndifuna Ukwazi hosted a public hearing on the findings of a week-long social audit on the janitorial service for communal flush toilets in four informal settlements in Khayelitsha on Saturday.

Social Justice Coalition`s Spokesperson Axolile Notywala said the social audit entailed comprehensive inspections of more than 600 flush toilets and nearly 200 interviews with residents who use the facilities and janitors who clean the toilets in PJS, Nkanini, BM and BT. More than 80 people, representing a number of civil society organisations from across the country participated in the audit.

Notywala said at the public hearing held, participants presented their evidence and community members gave testimonies of their experiences of this service.

He further said the attendance and participation of members of government is welcomed by the SJC and most encouraging. Councillor Ernest Sonnenberg, Mayco Member for Utility Services and Gisela Kaiser, Executive Director for Utility Services, were respondents for the City of Cape Town. Western Cape Premier Helen Zille as well as several members of local, provincial and national government attended the hearing as guests.

“The preliminary findings show that the implementation of the janitorial service is inconsistent and haphazard, suffering from a severe lack of planning and consistency. The result is that residents are left without access to safe and dignified toilets, posing life-threatening risks to the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the city. This is due to the lack of an implementation plan for the service” said Notywala.