North West’s R3.2m library doesn’t even have loos

LESS than five years after it was opened, North West’s state-of-the-art R3.2 million Lebaleng Community Library outside Wolmaransstad has few working computers and no functional toilets.

The library was meant to provide books and access to the internet for residents of the small communities of Lebaleng and Mak- wassie, 15km south of Wolmaransstad.

Once valued at R3.2m, the library has fallen into a state of disrepair and smells of faeces.

When librarians need to use the toilet, they have to ask patrons to leave the library before locking it to go to the bathroom at a neighbouring house.

“If I want to go to the toilet I have to find someone to sit in my place, or I have to ask everyone to leave the library,” said librarian Shamaima Setlolamathe.

“I have to lock the doors and then I have to walk to the neighbours to ask if I can use their toilet.”

Library patrons, however, must relieve themselves wherever they can if they’re desperate enough.

Sephamandla Kunene visits the library to use the internet. A few weeks ago, he noticed the library smelt of faeces.” I realised that one of the people using the library had defecated on himself,” Kunene said. “This is inhumane.

“The toilets are not working, the computers are broken and this is the only library our community has access to,” he said. “At times I have to wait more than three hours for people to finish using the internet so that I can get a chance.”

Broken toilets are nothing new for the communities of Lebaleng and Makwassie, which have struggled with poor sanitation.

The Maquassi Hills Local Municipality has blamed residents for sanitation woes, alleging that poor communities’ inability to buy toilet paper meant they threw harder-to-flush items down toilets, blocking the system.

Library manager Motshidisi Sanna said there was a programme in place to upgrade the library, especially the toilets.

“We are waiting for a budget to be finalised from the municipality so that we can renovate the library,” Sanna said. “It is highly embarrassing that an educational institution lacks facilities such as toilets, even one toilet, especially for the children. I promise the community of Lebaleng that before next year, a functioning toilet will be part of the library,” she said. – Health-e News