Sanitation is one of the most basic needs for a clean and healthy environment and yet this need is being neglected when it comes to the cleaning of the town’s public toilets.

After numerous complains about the current state of public toilets, the Zoutpansberger decided to investigate.

The findings were horrifying as public toilets were mostly blocked, with urine pools inside a common sight. Then there are the public toilets such as those situated next to Telkom in Burger Street. Especially on hot, sunny days, the stench is unbearable with urine running freely away from the toilets along the pavements, ending up in the storm water drainage system. It is this unhygienic state of affairs that has businesses in the vicinity up in arms.

The right to a clean and healthy environment is a basic right, protected by the South African Constitution, but this right is being denied to residents of the town. In a conversation with one of the local health inspectors at the Makhado Municipality, the inspector said they are aware of various problems and that steps are being taken to correct them.

The public toilets at the parkade in Munnik Street are also one of the main problem areas. According to the health inspector, the poor state of the ablution facilities is due to the absence of a municipal worker, who was on sick leave. This led to confusion and no other worker was assigned to clean the facility. Laziness on the part of municipal workers also seems to add to the problem. Meanwhile, Council is said to follow up on the situation.