The horror of using portable toilets

Langaville – Residents have numerous concerns regarding the use of chemical toilets (otherwise known as portable toilets) in the area.

Each toilet is used by at least four or five households.

Some of the toilets are located directly inside someone’s property, which means if the person is not home no one else can access the basic amenity.

Makhosini Nhlapho, a local resident, tells African Reporter that they have been pleading with the Ekurhuleni municipality to help them in this regard without any success. Nhlapo says they are facing a number of health challenges caused by the chemical toilets and the toilets are bombarded with spiders.

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“We can’t cook during the day when it is hot because of the flies. They come straight to the house and the smell is unbearable.

“I was bitten by a spider at night while I was in the toilet and was forced to go seek consultation as my thigh was extremely painful,” says Nhlapho.

The toilets do not have lights, which makes it too difficult to use at night.

The toilets are not drained on schedule and are always dirty.

Mashabele Benet, a resident, says: “Sometimes they do not come to drain the toilets. We are forced to continue using them even when they are full because there is nothing we can do. We get sick and our children are forever sick and this has started to affect them at school.”

According to Ward 79 councillor Zwelibanzi Ngwenya, people illegally occupying land keeps on adding to the pressure of service delivery. The portable toilets were allocated for 298 shacks which were placed there, but now there are more than 700 shacks which were not budgeted for.

“People are occupying land illegally, but the department is still busy with investigations. In the meantime, residents are invited to come and address their issues with the MEC. We are going to call for a public meeting soon,” says Ngwenya.