Bucket toilets – still no relief
Gauteng government's broken promises regarding bucket toilets.
In 2012 part of Tshepisong residents’ grievances that led to a peaceful protest included the bucket toilet system.
Gauteng Local Government and Housing MEC Ntombi Mekgwe has confirmed that a bucket toilet system continues to be used in the province despite a promise made by previous housing MEC Nomvula Mokonyane to eradicate them completely. This also is contrary to Mokonyane’s claim in February 2009 that the provincial government successfully eradicated all 12 332 bucket toilets across Gauteng.
Mekgwe indicated that 238 households use bucket toilets in Ratanda in the Lesedi Local Municipality, a claim that rings hollow in the light of official statistics.
According to Census data 173 729 people in Gauteng are still using bucket toilets, which is a total of 69 079 households.
Of these households, 4 743 is on the West Rand.
“Bucket toilets are a serious affront to the dignity of the people of Gauteng and a slap in the face of the hard won rights and freedoms contained in the Bill of Rights,” says Janet Semple, MPL and the DA’s Gauteng Housing spokesperson.
The Record is awaiting comment from the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Housing.
