New service providers has been appointed to supply mobile toilets in informal settlements across the City of Ekurhuleni.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the new service providers will render the service between July 1 2019 and June 30 2022. After receiving a 229 applications, 15 qualifying service providers met the conditions of the city and had capacity to supply the required service.

“These companies will invoice the municipality as per the rates approved in the bid document. It must further be emphasised that it was the responsibility of the bidders to comply with the conditions of the bid,” said Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe.

“The conditions of the bid stipulated that the services providers must provide toilets for people with disabilities; they must attach the cleaning schedule for all the toilets on the door of each toilet; and that they provide the City with a laboratory test certificate for the chemicals to be used in the toilet tanks.”

Gadebe said when the current administration took over in August 2016, the ration of toilet against family was one is to 10. Council resolved that the ratio had to be improved to at least one toilet for five families.The City further appeals to communities, beneficiaries and community leaders among others to assist the municipality render a quality service to the people by reporting vandalism and anything sinister that may jeopardise the rendering of this service to the people.”

Ekurhuleni has about 119 informal settlements and this places a huge burden on the city to provide sanitation to all residents as required by the constitution. Last month, Ekurhuleni mayor dismissed media reports that the city failed in its oversight when it awarded a multi-million rand tender for chemical toilets. A report by AmaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism alleged that the City failed to exercise oversight in the multi-million rand tender.

This failure resulted in some companies allegedly taking advantage of contract loopholes at the expense of the poor. The toilets were apparently sourced from 16 small suppliers, and the tender was allegedly used as a get rich-quick scheme for some under-performing contractors that left many beneficiaries with dirty and broken toilets.

The media reports resulted in Gauteng human settlements MEC Lebogang Maile writing to Masina demanding answers on the tender. Masina said the City provided over 39,000 mobile toilets to about