Renting a place which has no bathroom or toilet has become a major hiccup for many people living in such situations.
Despite living in underprivileged places, it is essential that one should have a place to relieve him or herself in a private place.
Ishmael Pelle, who is renting in a house in Chiawelo and other tenants are crying foul, saying that they have been renting at the house for many years without having an outside toilet to use.
Pelle claims that they have been pleading with their landlord to build them an outside toilet but their efforts still prove fruitless as the landlord is refusing.
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“When I asked for a place to live in I was told that there is a toilet to use only to find out that it was inside the house where the owner is living in.
“We used to use it but things have changed since we get allegations that we are stealing when going inside the house.
“We have since been using a 20-litre bucket to relieve ourselves and that in it is not healthy at all and when we ask to have an outside toilet, the landlord tells us to find another place to stay,” said Pelle.
He said they pay rent every month amounting to R370 each together with other tenants and they have decided not to pay anymore in a meeting they recently had, and they are planning to build the toilet by themselves.
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“Our problem is that we are using the bucket and we pour the waste in a hole which is in the yard. I stay with my wife’s mother who is 79-years-old and she is also using the bucket to relieve herself.
“We decided that we are not going to pay rent and the money for rent will be used to build the toilet.
“I am going to build the toilet myself as a qualified builder and when I leave the place I will leave the toilet like that since I am waiting for my stand to be acknowledged, but for now the problem remains,” said Pelle.
He said they are not fighting against the landlord but they will be doing the right thing by taking money for the rent and buy material to build our own toilet. Emely Mpesi, born in 1939 is living in the same place and said the living conditions are bad.
“Using a bucket at my age is like I have been taken for granted and that affects my health. I always fear when I have to go outside to relieve myself using a bucket,” she said.
The landlord who refused to be named said he has been telling the tenants to leave the yard because he will be using the space for another construction.
“I told them that I can’t build the toilet because there will be a construction which will be happening but they have since refused to leave,” he said.
The tenants said no rent will be paid and they will build the toilet by themselves.
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