Three held after Monwabisi Park residents protest over lack of flushing toilets

Cape Town – Monwabisi Park residents frustrated with using chemical toilets allegedly burnt infrastructure and blocked traffic along Baden Powell Road yesterday.

The residents in Khayelitsha accused the City of sabotaging them with the installation of chemical toilets, instead of the flushing toilets they said they were told they would get. Community leader Christopher Zondani has urged the City to provide the residents with dignified services.

“We agreed with the City that when they remove the old chemical toilets, that we will get new, fully-flushing toilets, but now that is not the case.

“They have replaced the old

chemical toilets with other chemical toilets. We don’t see any difference in these toilets from the old ones; we also want dignified services, like other communities. 

"They are going to give us

‘porta-potty' toilets, and that shows a clear indication that we are being sabotaged here. Even when they come to install the toilets, they don’t approach the leadership because they know that is not what we agreed on. 

"The City is used to dictating what people must do and what services best suit us, without engaging us first,” said Zondani.

Three suspects were arrested during the protest yesterday in which chalets at the Monwabisi Resort were gutted.

Picture: Ayanda Ndamane / African News Agency (ANA)

Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the suspects were arrested on charges of public violence.

“According to reports, residents of Monwabisi Park informal settlement, Khayelitsha, are allegedly complaining about the toilet services and they blocked Baden Powell Road with rubble and burning tyres. The traffic is diverted. The protesters went over the road and forced their way into Monwabisi Resort and burned down two buildings.

“Three suspects - two men and a woman aged between 36 and 41 - have been arrested on charges of public violence. They are due to appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court once charged,” said Van Wyk.

Mayco member for Water and Waste, Xanthea Limberg, said the City had appointed two service providers to replace the chemical toilets in informal settlements as the existing service provider’s contract has come to an end.

“The City has also been made aware of some complaints that community leaders were not consulted about the change in service providers. Residents are assured that both new and old service providers have agreed that toilets will not be removed without being replaced on the same day.

"The City has also informed ward councillors when toilets in their area will be changed so this can be passed on to community leaders and residents. In terms of the preference for full-flush toilets, while the City always provides full-flush toilets where we can, in some cases this is constrained by factors such as land ownership, land types or density of structures.

“New Monwabisi Park is an example of one of many settlements within the City that have been established despite significant City efforts to prevent the land from being occupied. New Monwabisi Park is established on sand dunes and as such cannot support formal development or installation of traditional services such as standpipes and full-flush toilets

"Residents are urged to use available channels to engage with the City rather than resorting to disruption and damage to property,” Limberg said.