According to residents, toilets were erected in the informal settlement eight years ago, but a certain section was not connected to the water supply.
This has led to three or more households having to share working toilets, which they say is unhygienic and not safe.
They further claim that residents who have working toilets in their yards are locking the cubicles.
Resident Veliswa Mpofu (46) says the problem has escalated and some residents have now resorted to relieving themselves in a nearby veld.
“It is not safe to leave our own yards at night to go to another person’s toilet,” says Mpofu.
“So people are now using the bucket system which is not hygienic because there is no running water.”
She adds that the hot weather will result in an influx of insects attracted to the stench.
Kenneth Manana (52), a community leader, claims they have lodged numerous complaints with ward councillor Phindile Mbonani and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, but nothing has been done.
Mbonani says council is aware that residents are sharing toilets in the area.
“When the municipality started building the toilets and installing water pipes in 2007, they were catering for the number of people who were living there at the time.
“More people have come from different places and have erected shacks in the area and we cannot keep count, hence there will be a shortage of toilets.”
