The Department of Water and Sanitation is still facing some challenges in eradicating the bucket system in the country. The department missed its second deadline to get rid of the system in 2016 due to a lack of funding.
It says over R700 million rand is needed to eradicate the system in the remaining two provinces, the Free State and the Northern Cape.
However, buckets are also still being used in some areas in the North West such as the Amalia, Migdol and Coligny townships. Residents in Amalia near Schweizer Reneke have raised concerns about the system’s effects on their health.
“The smell from these toilets are infecting us with illnesses. They are so full and we had to dig holes from the toilets just to reduce the load.”
“Since last year June we reported the matter to the municipality but still we have not received any assistance. We want the flushing toilets because when you flush the waste goes direct to the drainage system,” says one resident.
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