sanews - 1 month ago

Call for urgent action on full pit latrines in Setlagole Village Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo has called for an urgent intervention to address the issues of full pit latrines and the stalled bulk water supply scheme in Setlagole Village, North West. Seitlholo, accompanied by Ngaka Modiri District Municipality Executive Mayor, Khumalo Molefe and Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) of Infrastructure Development at Ratlou Local Municipality Thabo Motlapele, met with local stakeholders to find solutions to sanitation challenges in the RDP section of Setlagole, and to revive the incomplete bulk water supply scheme that has been stalled for the past ten years. The visit forms part of the department’s observation of Sanitation Month, commemorated annually from 15 October (Global Handwashing Day) to 19 November (World Toilet Day). The campaign aims to break the stigma around sanitation and raise awareness of the consequences of lack of sanitation, which includes the increase of makeshift toilets at households that do not have access to dignified sanitation and an increase to open defaecation. World Toilet Day seeks to raise awareness of the 3.4 billion people globally living without access to safe toilets and to accelerate action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which is focused on clean water and sanitation for all, by 2030. Seitlholo reiterated the department’s commitment to ensuring access to safe, dignified, and sustainable sanitation. He cited the Water and Sanitation Norms and Standards, which oblige municipalities designated as Water Services Authorities (WSAs) to provide basic sanitation to all consumers, including those on privately owned land, as guided by the Water and Sanitation policy on privately owned land of 2023. “The Standard of basic sanitation services includes a provision of a toilet with a functional handwashing facility in the yard, which is safe and reliable, environmentally sound and easy to clean, provide privacy and protection against weather, well-ventilated and keep smells to minimum as well providing for an effective and acceptable sanitation technology,” the Deputy Minister said. However, the Deputy Minister expressed concern that many households in Setlagole’s RDP section face serious sanitation challenges, with pit latrines that have not been serviced or emptied by the municipality since the construction of the houses in 2015. “This status quo poses a serious health risk for the community and needs an urgent intervention by all three spheres of government,” he warned. Seitlholo has directed that an audit of functional and non-functional toilets be conducted in Setlagole to help develop a targeted plan for addressing the full pit latrines. “We are calling for both the municipalities, with support from the Department of Water and Sanitation, to implement the faecal sludge management system that will ensure that the sanitation services provided to these members of the community comply with the norms and standards of provision of basic sanitation services, as dictated by the Water and Sanitation Act 108 of 1997,” Seitlholo said. Molefe acknowledged the challenge of full pit latrines in Setlagole RDP section, attributing it to a lack of municipal maintenance since the toilets were built ten years ago. “There was indeed a vacuum to services the toilets once they were full. With the intervention of the Department of Water and Sanitation, I have issued a directive to have experts that will provide support to Ratlou Local Municipality to provide services to address this challenge,” the Executive Mayor said. According to the department, approximately 72.7% of households in the North West have access to basic sanitation, with 49% of households using waterborne sanitation system connected to waste water treatment works. Seitlholo emphasised an urgent need to implement Faecal Sludge Management to ensure ongoing services to 51% of households that still uses onsite sanitation. “The municipality should be able to properly manage faecal sludge for the beneficial use of producing possible sludge by-products like manure, fertilisers and to be even used for biogas,” the Deputy Minister said. Turning to the Setlagole Bulk Water Supply Scheme, Seitlholo called on Magalies Water to expedite completion of the project, which is designed to supply 2.4 megalitres of treated water to Setlagole and surrounding villages. Molefe welcomed department support to unblock stalled projects, saying this aligns with resolutions taken at the Water and Sanitation Indaba earlier this year. “The Department of Water and Sanitation has provided support on this challenge, and we are hopeful that all the projects will be completed so that the water supply challenges in the district are resolved,” Molefe said. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK Mon, 11/10/2025 - 11:17 307 views

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