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Protest leaves 50 families with no toilets

When the toilets were burnt down by protesters, it left families with no place to relieve themselves

INFORMAL settlement residents from Kosovo near Philippi have expressed mixed feelings about the protest action that left them with no toilets at the weekend.

About 15 portable toilets were burnt down by protesters, leaving more than 50 families with no place to relieve themselves.

The community also has to live with the stench of excrement.

Resident Nolundi Mbayisa said she had to ask people in the neighbouring Samora Machel settlement if she and her son could use their toilets.

Those who still have toilets in Kosovo locked them.

"I even used someone's toilet without permission yesterday (Saturday). There was no one in the yard, so I just went straight to the toilet," she said.

"It is worse for the children. They have to relieve themselves in the open space near the houses because they can't cross the road."

Another resident, Mzikayise Nzuzo, said they tried to stop the protesters from burning the toilets because they knew they would struggle to get toilets again.

"The area smells of burnt excrement," said Nzuzo, adding that he prevented protesters from burning down the lampposts.

Another resident, Sinazo Tshoko, said it was an expensive problem because some people were now charging R3 for the use of their toilets.

But another resident, Luvuyo Jezi, praised the protesters.

"Each and every struggle has consequences. It does not matter where we are going to relieve ourselves," he said.

Kosovo ward committee member Andile Dlali said the area used to have flushing toilets, but those broke easily because there were too many people using them.

"The city took a month to fix the flush toilets when they are broken so they gave us these portable toilets to use temporarily. They promised they would install new toilets but that has never happened," Dlali said.

The city's communications officer for water and sanitation, Farouk Robertson, said he had referred the matter to the informal settlements department and was waiting for them to respond.

 

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