80pc of Byo public toilets out of order

ABOUT 80 percent of public toilets in Bulawayo are non-functional and have been closed by the Bulawayo City Council (BCC), which says it is severely constrained by limited resources and unable to maintain the facilities.

Despite the health risks associated with using these facilities, residents have resorted to using the closed toilets, which no longer have functioning flushing systems.

According to a BCC report, five years ago the city had 97 blocks of public toilets, but more than 80 percent have since been shut down. Vandalism has been cited as a major factor contributing to the deterioration of the facilities, compounded by insufficient funding for maintenance.

In the latest council minutes, councillors urged the City to prioritise the upgrading of public toilets to prevent potential disease outbreaks, especially as residents continue to endure 120-hour water shedding.

Several suburbs have recently experienced prolonged water cuts, with residents in high-lying areas such as Cowdray Park, Pumula, and Magwegwe receiving water for only a few hours each week.

Council has announced continued upgrades to the Mzingwane Pump Station in a bid to ease the city’s crippling water challenges.

Ward 12 Councillor Muziwakibo Masuku questioned whether the council had a strategy in place to revive damaged public toilets.

“A lot of flies are breeding in areas where broken-down public toilets are still being used by residents. Does council have any strategy to repair these toilets? In Ward 12, at Malaba and Masunda Shopping Centres, as well as at Desert Grounds in Njube, there are no functional toilets. The issue of non-functioning toilets in high-density areas, especially at shopping centres, is a cause for concern,” said Clr Masuku.

Ward 16 Councillor Greater Gumede said public toilets at Maplanka Shopping Centre had not been operational for a long time. She asked whether the 2025 council budget included allocations for repairing damaged public toilets.

“The 2025 council budget was approved after lengthy disagreements between council and residents, but we don’t see any of the damaged toilets being repaired,” said Cllr Gumede.

Ward 24 Councillor Tavengwa Zidya said public toilets at Umvutsha Cemetery were also not working, posing a health risk to mourners and nearby residents.

Turning to the issue of infrastructure vandalism, Clr Zidya said some residents were damaging council property to gain access to free water.

He cited a commuter omnibus operator who had turned an area along 15th Avenue into an illegal car wash after vandalising a council hydrant.

“It’s important that the council conducts regular inspections of its infrastructure by deploying workers to monitor water and sanitation systems,” he said.

“Council water was being lost along 15th Avenue, where a hydrant was vandalised and an illegal car wash was established,” said Clr Zidya.

Councillor Perseverance Nyathi raised concerns about council spaces being converted into illegal food courts by street vendors.

“These spots are attracting large numbers of illegal food vendors. Cooked food is being sold from car boots, while others are cooking on-site in spaces they have occupied illegally.

“After business hours, there is a surge in illegal vending in the central business district (CBD), where meat and dairy products are being sold,” added Clr Nyathi.