Commuters in Durban are being forced to relieve themselves in buckets inside a tent due to the prolonged closure of toilets at bus and taxi ranks. The toilets, which were part of an R11.3-million upgrade, were initially closed in January for renovations and were expected to be completed by the end of January. However, when GroundUp visited last week, the toilets were still closed.
The closure of the toilets has left commuters with limited options. Last year, the municipality supplied four mobile toilets for the taxi rank, but they were insufficient. Resident Bongani Ndaba then set up a tent with a bucket system about 500 metres away, charging people R2 to R3 to use it. The tent is still operating, with people using the buckets inside and full buckets being emptied directly into the street drain.
Not everyone is comfortable using the tent, with some commuters preferring to walk to other toilets, despite long queues. Street vendor Gugu Ncamu said she prefers to walk to the toilets at Workshop shopping centre, but there are always long queues. A taxi driver, who wanted to remain anonymous, expressed concerns about his elderly passengers who are less mobile.
The municipality had announced that the renovations were completed in May, but the toilets remain closed. Municipality spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila said the toilets will only be reopened once maintenance contractors have been appointed, which is expected to be before mid-December. The municipality is also finalising administrative processes related to the completed project.
The situation has been ongoing for several months, with commuters bearing the brunt of the delays. In January, GroundUp reported that the toilets at the bus and taxi ranks in KwaMashu and in central Durban near the city hall had been closed for renovations for seven months. The toilets were part of a major upgrade, but the project has faced setbacks.
The use of buckets in a tent has raised concerns about public health and sanitation. The situation is expected to improve once the toilets are reopened, but commuters will have to wait a little longer. The municipality has assured that the toilets will be reopened as soon as possible, but a specific date has not been provided.
The issue highlights the challenges faced by commuters in Durban due to infrastructure delays. The city is working to address the issue, but commuters will have to endure the current situation for a little while longer. KEY_POINT: The toilets at bus and taxi ranks in Durban have been closed for months due to renovations, leaving commuters to use buckets in a tent. KEY_POINT: The municipality has announced that the renovations are complete, but the toilets will only be reopened once maintenance contractors have been appointed. KEY_POINT: The situation has raised concerns about public health and sanitation, with commuters bearing the brunt of the delays.
