On a fact-finding tour of sections of Thembalethu and Parkdene and the Conville and Rosemoor area, situated adjacent to the ravines where the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe used to run, the answer to the contractor's dilemma is understandable. The residents expect council to maintain and repair their toilets.
The general feeling was that there is not really a sewerage system problem in Conville. At the homes where the owner had a problem a quick inspection revealed that in most cases the mechanism had been damaged and the water was dripping from the cistern. Far more problematic was when the outlet pipe was broken and the immediate area was saturated with raw sewage. A more common occurrence is leaking inlet pipes. This waterlogs the area and the resultant overflow that runs onto the road.
When asked why the problems were not attended too, the answer was that they had contacted the ward councillor and the area manager for Rosemoor, but to date they have not repaired the problem. When asked who owns the house the reply was, "This is my house. I have the Title Deed." There is a belief that even although the toilet is in the house or a freestanding unit on the property it is still council's responsibility to maintain their toilet.
When told that it is not council's responsibility to repair anything on private property, they sheepishly admitted that they are aware of it.
In Silver Town, at the back of Thembalethu towards the sea, the new toilets that form part of the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (UISP) are working with the odd problem being reported.
In the established informal housing areas in Thembalethu the toilets are built in clusters of four or eight units to reduce costs. Those that are locked with a padlock and used by a single family are in good condition. A resident said, "The minute you forget to lock the toilet or leave it open it is vandalised and then it blocks and starts overflowing." The water that is seen running across the roads is nearly always from one of these abandoned toilets.
The opinion of residents is that the municipality's response to a complaint is quick and effective. An elderly gentleman who previously worked for one of council's sewerage teams spoke on condition of anonymity. "You can't believe what is thrown into the sewerage lines and when it is blocked they are furious as the raw sewage pushes back into the houses. The perception that council will repair your toilet unit is a big problem as people do not respect the sewerage system. People must be educated as waterborne sewage is nice to have, but can be deadly when it goes wrong."
In other informal areas like Protea Park, chemical toilets have been erected. Once again, if properly maintained by the residents, these toilets fill the void in the system.
Council does have an indigent policy that assists the poor. It is in line with National Government criteria.
Hopefully Jansen and Kraai can clarify their misunderstanding with the municipality as their services are needed to maintain a healthy environment.
The toilet clusters in the informal areas of Thembalethu.
ARTICLE: MYRON RABINOWITZ, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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