Kak Advise: residents have four months to comply
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Tuesday August 19, 2014 14:31
“The WUC urges all households in these areas to connect to the network and discontinue the use of pit latrines and septic tanks. We are giving those households grace periods up to the December 2014 to have connected to the network,” the corporation’s spokesperson Matida Mmpi says in press release. She goes on to say that as of January 1, 2015, WUC will no longer offer emptying services.
The WUC ‘s decisions means thousands of low income and largely unemployed residents of Gaborone’s SHAA areas of Broadhurst, Extension 14, Bontleng, White City and Old Naledi will have to pop out more money to hire private companies to empty their toilets and septic tanks.
Speaking with this publication following the issuance of the notice, Mmipi said people were reluctant to install sewage systems in their homes, although WUC had provided easier terms for connection.
The standard connection fee for plots up to 450m was P840,00 and customers could pay in installments. Once they paid up, they would be connected, she said.
Mmipi said WUC completed sewage infrastructure construction in all SHAA areas in Gaborone between 2012 and 2013 but, only a handful of households had connected to the system.
“Since the completion of the sewage infrastructure construction and invitation to customers to connect to the network, the WUC has recorded low numbers of applications for connection,” she added.
Mmipi also explained underutilisation of the sewage network resulted in insufficient flows that caused blockages and fouled the air. If flowing properly, the system should be self-cleansing, she said.
Meanwhile, it is life as usual in SHAA as residents claim ignorance of the WUC deadline.
“ No, I do not know about the deadline. I can only hope our landlord connects to the network before the deadline, as it will be very expensive to hire private companies to empty our toilet,” said Qalisani Ndebele of Bontleng .
“It will also be safe for our children. I do not allow mine to use the pit -latrine, as it is dangerous. Women also can’t use this toilet at night as it has cockroaches,” Ndebele explained.
Even though he admitted knowing WUC would discontinue its pit latrine emptying service soon, Botoka Pebe, also a resident of Bontleng said he did not have enough money to connect to the sewage system, but was willing to do it.
“I don’t know how much it will cost us, but I will find out as time goes on,” he said.
Tshegofatso Botsheleng of Extension 14 said she was not aware WUC would soon stop pit latrine and septic tank emptying services. She said even though she was ready for change, she could not afford to build a new toilet.
“Using sewage toilets is also a challenge, more especially when there is no water. We always have our water cut on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays from morning till late in the evening. This makes life difficult for people, as there is no-way they can use their toilets without water. I mostly feel that even though pit latrines are not as clean as sewage toilets, they are not inconvenient,” Botsheleng said.
A resident who heeded WUC advice said connecting to the network had made her family’s life bearable.
“Now we can breathe fresh air. Unlike pit latrines, water sewage system toilets are cleaner and safer than pit latrines.
The bonus is that you never have to empty anything and there is nofoul smelling air,” she said.