Greenmarket square toilets cause stink

Cape Town-160817. Green Market Square's public toilets closed to the public. Pic: Kurt Engel

Cape Town-160817. Green Market Square's public toilets closed to the public. Pic: Kurt Engel

Published Aug 18, 2016

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Cape Town - Greenmarket Square traders have accused the City of Cape Town of “ripping them off” by not servicing the local public toilets.

Stall owner and Greenmarket Square manager Trevor Ebden said the toilets, situated in the centre of the market, have not been cleaned or serviced for close on a month.

City of Cape Town spokeswoman Priya Reddy said: “The City of Cape Town takes the concerns of the traders seriously and we are looking into this matter. An official will visit the site today to investigate the allegations.”

Ebden said: “The problem is mostly with the toilets. They don't have toilet paper, no chemicals to clean them and both the ladies' and men's toilets are leaking. We get the stench early in the morning up until we leave. This is dangerous and unhygienic. How can you not get the toilets cleaned in three weeks?”

He added he was one of 200 traders working in the market, and each stall owner paid a monthly rental fee of R465, part of which should be used for toilet services.

He said most of the time he opted to leave his stall in the hands of his assistants because he couldn't stomach the smell.

“This is affecting our business. I mean in order to relieve yourself you have to leave your stall and walk to the Grand Parade. We can't even go to the nearby restaurants now because they got tired of this ongoing problem. Even customers stay clear of this area now because of the bad smell.

“We are getting ripped off; they (the city) are taking us for fools. This makes you feel sub-human,” said Ebden.

The issue with the toilets started two months ago, Ebden said, when chemical detergent deliveries were halted.

Then the toilets started to leak; two stalls in the men's and ladies' sections are flooded. When the Cape Argus visited the site, the toilets were locked.

The odour could be smelled when standing at the vendors positioned behind the toilets; however at the front entrance, detergents had been spilt on to the ground in a bid to mask the stench.

Mor Fall, a stall owner, said the city “did not care” about Greenmarket Square and focused only on the Grand Parade.

“At the Grand Parade they have cleaner toilets which are serviced and cleaned often. They have more personnel working there. It is only Greenmarket Square that is being deserted,” Fall said.

A stall owner, who did not want to be named, said: “These toilets are disgusting. Inside there are flies and little insects because there are no hygiene detergents to clean it.

“It is stinky and each time we complain, we receive no response or help.”

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Cape Argus

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