Durban commuters have to relieve themselves in buckets in a tent

In Durban, commuters relieve themselves in buckets inside the tent on the left. Photo: Tsoanelo Sefoloko

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.

At the time, eThekwini municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana told us work would be completed before the end of January. The toilets were part of a R11.3-million upgrade.

The renovations were completed in May.

But when GroundUp visited last week, we found the toilets included in the updgrade – at KwaMashu taxi and bus ranks as well as at the city hall and two sites on the beachfront – still closed.

Last year, the municipality supplied four mobile toilets for the taxi rank, two for men and two for women, but they were insufficient.

A private individual, Bongani Ndaba, then set up a tent with a bucket system about 500 metres away – on the corner of Soldiers Way and Denis Hurley Street – charging people R2 to R3 to use it.

The tent is still operating. People use the buckets inside, with groups of men and women taking turns. Full buckets are emptied directly into the street drain.

Not everyone is comfortable using the tent. 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, said he worries about his elderly passengers who are less mobile.

Municipality spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila said renovations are complete but the toilets will only be reopened once maintenance contractors have been appointed. This is expected to be before mid-December.

“The municipality is also finalising administrative processes related to the completed project, including the verification of contract and expenditure information,” said Mzila.

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