Govt to phase out pit latrines in Gaborone

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Friday June 4, 2010 00:00

The public relations officer at the Ministry of the Environment, Wildlife and Tourism told Mmegi yesterday that the aim of the project is to increase accessibility to centralised sewer sanitation by the entire population of Gaborone, which will consequently reduce the risk of sanitation related diseases. 'Top on the list of issues to be addressed through this project is phasing out of unsightly pit latrines in the SHHA housing estates which have been a serious problem over the years,' Ngakayagae said.

The targeted areas for construction of the network of sewer pipes are Bontleng, Newstands, White City, Gaborone West Phase 1 (SHHA), Old Naledi, Tsholofelo and Broadhurst. 

Ngakayagae said there will be expansion of primary sewer pipes or bulklines to cater for both residential and commercial centres in Mogoditshane, the City Centre and the upper Naledi area.

He said it is unfortunate that there has not been a proportional or equal sewerage infrastructure to receive sewage water, which has led to people relying mainly on pit latrines.  

'This has been manifesting by continuous blasts of sewer pipes resulting in sewage overflows in many parts of the city.

This problem has to be dealt with now,' he stressed. On the other hand, residents of Extension 27 in Gaborone are delighted to have such development, saying that it will be an improvement that they have always wanted.

Dineo Odisitse told Mmegi that they are happy to have a sewage system, though they are not sure that their landlord will replace the pit-latrine that they have all been sharing. 

She said life has been a nightmare since a huge number of people who live in their yard have been sharing one pit-latrine, which is never in a good state.  'There are so many of us staying here and this toilet is always full,' she said. 'There are 15 rooms in this yard and there are about five or more people in each room.

We do not even have anywhere to dispose water from washing and the landlord does not care about that. So we are not sure if we will be lucky enough to see her build a water system toilet for us.' Another resident of Extension 27, Khatazani Mbaiwa, said they have been 'very unhappy' with pit latrines because they are not safe for their health.  He said the problem is that although there are too many people living in one yard, some do not cooperate and leave the only toilet they have unkempt.

'We did not have a water system toilet because there was no sewage line,' she said. 'Now that we will be able to get one, I don't know if it will be of much help because some people do not keep toilets clean and even throw things in there, getting it blocked.' Mbaiwa said in their yard, there are about 12 rooms and about three people per room; it will therefore not difficult to keep the toilet clean and functioning.

He wished there was a law forcing people to do away with pit latrines now that there is a sewage pipeline.  'The problem is that our landlords do not care about us,' he said. 'Some of them will not build new toilets because they don't stay there and they don't care what happens to us. But if there was a law that forces them to phase out pit-latrines, it would be better.'

Another resident, Mosetsanagape Bazangaphe, told Mmegi that they are very happy to have a sewage pipeline since they have been suffering when trying to get the council to empty their pit latrines.  'We suffer every time we try to get the council to empty our toilets,' she said. 'Di a penologa and the queues are very long. So, the only way to survive is to bribe someone and lose a lot of money for a service you could have gotten at a better price from the council.'