Alex residents left to tackle toilet crisis alone as department rules out intervention
Severe toilet shortages see up to 50 residents sharing a single facility in a Johannesburg township, threatening health and privacy.
The Department of Human Settlements cannot intervene in the sanitation crisis facing parts of Ward 76 in Alexandra because the affected properties are privately owned.
The response from the department comes after residents raised concerns over the state of shared sanitation facilities, some of which serve as many as 19 people at a time, reports Alex News.
Court order limits municipal action
It said its mandate would only extend to the issue if the affected properties belonged to the municipality, adding that it is further constrained by an existing court order barring it from carrying out any development work in Alexandra.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Ward 76 chairperson Bongani Cindi raised concerns about the sanitation issue. “We have many families using one toilet, and it’s been like this for a long time. It is not only starting to happen today. It’s been like that for seven to eight years.”
Severe crowding raises health fears
Cindi said that on 17th Avenue, at least 50 people share a single toilet. This was confirmed by residents, who identified the toilet as a source of anxiety regarding health and dignity.
Previously, 18th Avenue resident Princess Ndlovu shared that she relies on a single working toilet with more than 10 others in her yard. She noted that the arrangement raises fears that an infection carried by one user could easily spread to the rest of the group.
The problem is even more pronounced on 19th Avenue, where at least 19 residents in one yard depend on a single toilet, while neighbouring resident Tryphinah Mofokeng said 15 people share a single facility in her yard.
Residents launch petition drive
Beyond the health risks, some residents described the loss of privacy that comes with such crowding. Now, residents’ hopes for adequate sanitation facilities have been dealt a heavy blow, as the responsibility to address the matter lies with them. “We are going around the ward asking people to sign the petition. We want to hand in the petition of toilets,” Cindi said.
He said the petition will be submitted to the Department of Human Settlements for relief.
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