10 toilets for 220 people
... but it’s way better than bucket system
Growing up on Small Street in Alexandra, northern Johannesburg, often means a life of playing in puddles of urine because of lack of adequate sanitation services.
Nozizela Rubu, 57, has been living on the narrow street for years and raised her five children in what she describes as unbearable conditions.
“Children here would play with the urine that would be on the ground. This is my first time in 25 years that I have seen even a little bit of change.”
The community of 220 people received their first 10 flushing toilets from NGO Return2Love and Rebosis Property Fund yesterday after using bucket toilets for years.
Rubu said the stench of urine and secretions was so bad that she and her children would often be unable to breathe properly. “I am so happy, I can’t believe this is happening,” she said.
Bongo Zondo, 55, said he is the second generation that is living in the area and he is hopeful that his children will live a better life than him.
“These toilets were making our children unwell, so I hope that they will have a better future than us.
“Just imagine, every Monday the waste would be collected, it was terrible.”
Despite the jubilation of the community, a young woman stood on the sidelines of the ribbon-cutting event, holding a cardboard box begging for financial help to go to a college
where she was accepted to study IT. “I’ve lived here all my life,” said 24-year-old Nkateko Khumalo.
Khumalo, who lives with her disabled mother, said they survive on her mother’s disability grant after she lost her job in the cabin crew industry a few years ago.
“Everything is facing me. As a woman you are expected to look towards a man to make ends meet, but I don’t want that for myself,” she said.
Khumalo, who takes care of her mother, said she hopes the new toilets will help her community.
“We have to use a bucket and it’s not hygienic. With the coronavirus, it was quite difficult for us because as you can see there are so many families who had to share the bucket toilets. As women, we faced more issues like getting infections,” she said.
Khumalo said crime has also been rampant in the community, with women scared to go to the toilets alone.
Ward councillor Adolph Marema said in his section of Alexandra the community had been dependent on eight bucket toilets.
“The situation in this area has been very bad. You can imagine the conditions, especially during the pandemic. These toilets were worse than jail,” he said.
The estimated costs of the new toilets is R55,000.
This is my first time in 25 years that ‘‘ I have seen even a little bit of change