News / Africa
Mayor causes a stir at toilet clean-up
12 Jun 2013 at 13:57hrs | Views
Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has been accused of reneging on a promise to get her hands dirty helping clean bucket toilets in townships.
She announced there would be a toilet clean-up in at least two informal settlements.
Taking more than enough precautions, Patricia de Lille arrived with a heavy police escort and a face mask.
The mayor watched as council workers cleaned over a dozen toilets, but did not participate in the clean-up herself.
Instead she explained why the container toilets have not been cleaned since April, blaming it on a labour dispute between service provider, Sanicare and its employees.
Residents were less than happy at what some are calling a publicity stunt.
"She mustn't put the mask. She must come without the mask and so she can see how full is that bucket," said a resident.
De Lille's office said she left early because she had a flight to catch, denying it was meant as a PR exercise to counter two recent toilet protests where faeces was dumped outside provincial government offices.
"Her visit was merely a case of personally ensuring services are delivered," said De Lille's office.
She announced there would be a toilet clean-up in at least two informal settlements.
Taking more than enough precautions, Patricia de Lille arrived with a heavy police escort and a face mask.
The mayor watched as council workers cleaned over a dozen toilets, but did not participate in the clean-up herself.
Instead she explained why the container toilets have not been cleaned since April, blaming it on a labour dispute between service provider, Sanicare and its employees.
Residents were less than happy at what some are calling a publicity stunt.
"She mustn't put the mask. She must come without the mask and so she can see how full is that bucket," said a resident.
De Lille's office said she left early because she had a flight to catch, denying it was meant as a PR exercise to counter two recent toilet protests where faeces was dumped outside provincial government offices.
"Her visit was merely a case of personally ensuring services are delivered," said De Lille's office.
Source - aNCA
