Pretoria - The Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor, Mondli Gungubele, has committed R11 million towards the construction of suitable ablution facilities in Zonkizizwe informal settlement, near Katlehong.
Gungubele used the Workers’ Day holiday on Wednesday to visit residents of Zonkizizwe informal settlement where he assured them that their rights to dignity will not be undermined.
The mayor’s visit followed complaints by the residents about improper ablution facilities. The residents rejected the municipality's temporary intervention to put in place chemical toilets while allowing tender processing to construct toilets to take its course.
However, some stands have corrugated iron toilets and are connected to septic tanks that are continuously serviced by the Water and Sanitation Department. These septic tanks are emptied on a monthly basis and as and when required.
Gungubele told the community that it was necessary to obtain a dolomite report before doing any construction work.
“The study we commissioned informed us that the area has dolomite and we couldn’t risk the lives of our people. Since the area has dolomite, it therefore requires highly specialised toilets,” he explained.
The area was recently proclaimed as a residential area freeing the municipality to roll out full services to residents. This follows the completion of a dolomite report.
“The report indicated that Zonkizizwe Proper and Extensions 1 and 2 are high risk dolomite areas and that high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes must be installed, and that all upvc pipes already installed must be replaced by HDPE pipe to prevent sinkholes. Approval was then obtained from Geo Science for the construction of the toilets,” Gungubele explained.
He also confirmed that a tender process is already underway and work to install the specialised toilets will begin in January 2014 and is expected to be completed by November 2014.
“In the interim, we will ensure that there is continuous water supply and dignified sanitation for the community of Zonkizizwe,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
