Parliament to hear toilet report

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The City of Cape Town intends seeking an interdict against the people disrupting the servicing of toilets in informal settlements. File photo: Bongiwe Mchunu

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• FState municipality in toilet probe

Parliament, Cape Town - The SA Human Rights Commission will report the Moqhaka Municipality to Parliament over unenclosed toilets in Rammolutsi, Free State, the commission said on Thursday.

It made this vow after the municipality failed to appear as subpoenaed at the commission's provincial office earlier in the day.

Spokesman Isaac Mangena said the municipality was supposed to have explained why it had failed to put into effect a commission recommendation for the toilets to be enclosed.

“The commission has resolved to report this matter to Parliament with the view to petitioning the Speaker of Parliament to summon the MEC and the Minister of Human Settlement to come to Parliament to explain the municipality's failure to comply with the Commission's recommendations.”

Mangena said it would also raise the matter with government officials who would be attending the commission's water and sanitation hearings next Tuesday.

Residents of Rammolutsi township near Viljoenskroon lodged a complaint with the SAHRC in 2010 after the municipality installed unenclosed toilets in the area.

The residents said their rights to human dignity, privacy, a clean environment, housing and water had been violated.

In May last year, the commision found the municipality had indeed violated the communities' rights and recommended the municipality urgently close the toilets.

The municipality was expected to give a progress report at least every six months.

Some progress was made but the municipality ran into financial difficulties.

The municipality could not be reached for comment. - Sapa