News / National
BCC allocates US$187,000 to toilets
03 Jun 2024 at 03:10hrs | Views
The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has allocated US$187,000 to eliminate the shared toilet system in the Emabuthweni and Iminyela suburbs.
Ward 9 Councillor, Donaldson Mabutho, disclosed this in an interview with the Southern Eye.
"We have developed the Emabuthweni-Iminyela Redevelopment Strategy, which has a budget of US$187,000. However, we currently lack the necessary funds, but the budget allocation is in place to initiate the redevelopment of Emabuthweni and Iminyela. Our primary focus is on providing each family with its own toilet," Mabutho said.
The former deputy mayor mentioned that Emabuthweni residents had acquired a brick molding machine during the tenure of their previous councillor. He is now following up on the equipment, which the community plans to use to mold bricks for building the toilets.
"This project aims to improve living conditions in one of the city's oldest suburbs, where residents currently face health risks due to inadequate sanitation facilities. The initiative is a response to residents' concerns," he added.
Recently, residents have voiced worries about potential outbreaks of water-borne diseases in the suburb.
One resident, Martha Moyo, expressed her fears: "We are living in constant fear of diseases such as cholera. Imagine one toilet being shared by four families. We understand the city's water problems, but we now have to travel a considerable distance to collect water from an abandoned pit just to flush."
Pamela Maphosa echoed these concerns, noting that the toilet situation has been problematic for far too long.
"Imagine families with six members each, multiplied by four, meaning 24 people share one toilet. What worries us most is that the toilets can't be locked or monitored, so even passers-by can use them, often leaving them dirty since there is no water," Maphosa said.
Ward 9 Councillor, Donaldson Mabutho, disclosed this in an interview with the Southern Eye.
"We have developed the Emabuthweni-Iminyela Redevelopment Strategy, which has a budget of US$187,000. However, we currently lack the necessary funds, but the budget allocation is in place to initiate the redevelopment of Emabuthweni and Iminyela. Our primary focus is on providing each family with its own toilet," Mabutho said.
The former deputy mayor mentioned that Emabuthweni residents had acquired a brick molding machine during the tenure of their previous councillor. He is now following up on the equipment, which the community plans to use to mold bricks for building the toilets.
"This project aims to improve living conditions in one of the city's oldest suburbs, where residents currently face health risks due to inadequate sanitation facilities. The initiative is a response to residents' concerns," he added.
Recently, residents have voiced worries about potential outbreaks of water-borne diseases in the suburb.
One resident, Martha Moyo, expressed her fears: "We are living in constant fear of diseases such as cholera. Imagine one toilet being shared by four families. We understand the city's water problems, but we now have to travel a considerable distance to collect water from an abandoned pit just to flush."
Pamela Maphosa echoed these concerns, noting that the toilet situation has been problematic for far too long.
"Imagine families with six members each, multiplied by four, meaning 24 people share one toilet. What worries us most is that the toilets can't be locked or monitored, so even passers-by can use them, often leaving them dirty since there is no water," Maphosa said.
Source - southern eye
