First look at chemical and pit toilets in communities
This is a photo essay depicting the sanitation conditions in Khayelitsha township - Western Cape and the informal settlement of Paballong Village - Free State.
Forty percent of South African households live in townships. This is according to a 2009 report by the Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs. The report shows that 4,6 million of these households represent 36% of the total population of South Africa. Meaning that there are 12,7 million South Africans who stay in townships. Of this figure 2,7 million (60%) live in metropolitan townships. These statistics were recorded in 2005 and have significantly increased in size and density through the years, due to high unemployment rates.
Informal settlements grow in size because many black and colored South Africans leave rural life, in the hopes of finding better job opportunities, and economic freedom. However, due to high inflation on property costs and the rise of unemployment in South Africa, people who come looking for a better life end up living in Townships. This is the cheapest and most affordable option for many people.
Khayelitsha is one of the largest and fast-growing townships in South Africa. As a result of this, it has also caused strain on sanitation facilities within the area. The man pictured in figure 5 is one of many South Africans that migrated to Cape Town in the hopes of employment, but found himself jobless and without money to return home. As a result, he started living in Khayelitsha and says the sanitation conditions around the area are terrible. Despite the City of Cape Town providing chemical toilets for many of the residents living in the township, there is still not enough to comfortably serve the population. Households are forced to share 1 chemical toilet between 3 to 4 different houses. There are hardly any available water tanks near the toilets, and residents are forced to walk long distances in order to reach clean drinking water.
Now in the midst of Covid-19, the issue of sanitation is bigger than ever. In such a densely populated area, with houses built on top of each other, and households sharing sanitation facilities makes the risk of contracting the virus and having it spread on a wide scale so much greater. Social distancing practices are almost impossible. Due to the inconveniences of not having water tanks and water facilities close to the toilets, people are unable to keep up with the recommended hygiene practices in preventing the spread of Covid-19.
The following images depict sanitation life in the township of Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
The last three images in the gallery and video bellow are all images taken from an informal settlement in the village of Paballong between Odendaalsrus and Welkom within the Free State province. These graphics were taken by a UCT student – Thabo Rathaba who lives near this village. After spending time talking with the local people of this community, Thabo learnt that this informal settlement was built after many people lost their homes in forced removals because of land claims. With nowhere to go for hundreds of people who were affected by these forced removals, many made make-shift shacks on this plot of land and as the years went by, the community grew in size.
The village is now a recognised informal settlement within the area, and qualifies for the provision of water tanks by the municipality district within the area. However, life under lockdown restrictions and Covid-19 has been the hardest it’s ever been as the need for sustainable and sanitary facilities is overwhelming. Because of lockdown restrictions people struggle to get water as many need to leave their houses in order to access the water tanks and often times police turn away those leaving their homes who are travelling for water. While pit toilets have been the main infrastructure in this area, the growing population is straining the current sanitation system that exists, making these facilities all the more unhygienic and dirty. Many can't wash their hands after using the toilet as water tanks are placed far from pit toilets for hygiene and safety purposes. The people in the village say that Covid spreads fast in their area, and have already had a few deaths. Many can't keep to Covid-19 safety practices because the living conditions don't support a hygienic and spacious environment to protect oneself from infection.
All Videos
Look at the statistics
