Christmas will be just another day in Thembelihle, where toilets haven’t been emptied for four months
Johannesburg Water says “internal challenges” led to a shortage of trucks
With no working toilet, Reginald Monapula will not be able to host family or friends for Christmas. Photo: Silver Sibiya
Reginald Monapula will not be able to host family or friends in his home in Thembelihle informal settlement for Christmas because there is nowhere for them to relieve themselves. The toilets in the settlement have not been emptied for four months and he has resorted to using the bush.
His is among hundreds of families in Thembelihle informal settlement in Lenasia, in the south of Johannesburg, in the same predicament.
The “ventilated improved pit” (VIP) toilets were installed by the City of Johannesburg 20 years ago, according to Johannesburg Water, which services the toilets. Usually the toilets are drained regularly. But for several months now the toilets have not been emptied and residents relieve themselves in the nearby bushes or use the public toilets in Trade Route Mall, about a kilometre away.
Monapula says this December he will not be able to host guests for Christmas without a working toilet. “Some do go to the mall to relieve themselves, but we go to the nearby bushes. What else can we do?” he asked.
Mercy Kalunga and her family live in the same street, in a rented backroom in the yard of a brick house, Nine people share the single pit toilet.
Kalunga says while other people may dream of better things this Christmas, she just wants the toilet to be drained. Her children have been sent away to family “ to at least take a break from this situation,” says Kalunga’s husband Ishmael.
Toilets in Thembelihle have not been emptied for months. Photo: Silver Sibiya
Johannesburg Water Spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said as a result of “internal challenges” between October and November, there had been a shortage of vacuum trucks to drain the toilet.
“There are 15 sewer vacuum trucks that service the region. However, due to internal challenges between October and November 2023, only four sewer vacuum trucks were operational for a while, leading to a backlog in desludging.”
She said the problem had been resolved and all 15 trucks were operational again. But “the backlog incurred during the two months will affect the efficiency of service delivery”. She said there were 4,182 households in Thembelihle informal settlement and 4,182 toilets.
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Letters
Dear Editor
I would to thank this platform for letting me express my disappointment at the poor service delivery in Thembelihle.
The trucks came to us in September last year, but unfortunately my toilet was not drained. They came to my street but told me my toilet was too far to reach so they would have to come back with an extra pipe. They promised to come back but they never did. Whenever they come they always have the same reason, so my toilet is the only one in the neighbourhood they don't drain. It has been like this for a year! Can you imagine the smell?
Going to the municipality is futile. I'm so disappointed. This is a beautiful place. I grew up here. I passed matric and got a job nearby. But because of how unsanitary the toilets are, I had to move to Soweto. I'm pregnant and my doctor said the toilets were making me ill.
My parents have to bother our neighbours to use their toilets because ours is full of waste. They're asking us to go use the bathrooms at the mall instead but it's a 15-30 minute walk. I can't even hold myself at night. I had to use a bucket, which was unhealthy for the baby.
Please can the municipality do something!
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