Incomplete toilets project troubles residents

TAFELKOP – Residents of Tafelkop outside Groblersdal within the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality are concerned about the incomplete state of a sanitation project which was initially envisaged for completion in January in the area.

The residents complain that the toilet pits dug and left uncovered in their yards were increasingly becoming a safety threat, especially for their children.

They said they were hopeful that their lack of sanitation challenges would be addressed when Sekhukhune District Municipality (SDM) initially announced the commencement of the project but were currently worried about how it unfolded.

The project, worth R6, 2 million, was supposed to have been completed by January but did not and the district municipality reportedly promised it would be completed March 2021.

In an interview with one of the television stations, Moloko Moloto, SDM Communications Manager, said over a million rand was left in the project and that the large amount of the R6, 2 million of it went into the purchasing of the material used.

Daniel Mabilo, a resident, said they were confused as residents as to how much exactly the project was worth because at the current stage, it would mean that one toilet was over a R20 000.

Emily Moepa (54), also a resident, complained that she had to close a pit that was dug in front of her house by a contractor on the project after her child fell into it.

Moepa said the contractor came to her house and dug the pit at night and as it was left unattended it became a safety hazard for her children and was forced to close it.

Over a 180 toilets are yet to be completed before the March 2021 completion date of the project which is now left with just over a million rands.