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The local authority has said it could no longer maintain the toilets.
However, residents are fuming against the move questioning why they should start paying for public toilets, which they have been using for free all along. It costs between R2 and R3 to use the toilets.
Speaking to Chronicle recently, Mr Tafadzwa Makarau, a resident from Makokoba said the leasing of the toilets was unnecessary.
“We cannot pay for the public toilets because they are public. I wonder where our hard earned cash that we pay monthly goes to because the council is failing to maintain the toilets.
“They can lease them but we are not going to pay to use them. This is a sign that the council has failed to run its facilities,” said an angry Mr Makarau.
Another resident who refused to be named said the move by council was an expense to the residents.
“The word public means for the people free of charge. Leasing toilets to private companies leaves us with no option but to use pavements for relieving ourselves,” said the man.
Mrs Silethokuhle Dube, a 45-year-old woman who sells vegetables at Basch Street Bus Terminus known as Egodini said she could not afford to pay for the services.
“I have a bladder problem my child and I barely make more than $10 per day. I visit the toilet regularly and this means that I will spend more money on the pay toilets.
“I am struggling to make ends meet and if I spend money on toilets it means my children will struggle to finish school and I will have no money to pay rates,” said Mrs Dube.
In her response to written questions, the council’s senior public relations officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu confirmed that the local authority had leased out eight toilets.
She said the present council’s financial situation made it difficult to repair and maintain the toilets in a clean state.
“I can confirm that BCC leased eight toilets to private people and vendors while six other toilets were offered for lease to people while some are still to repair and operate them.
We decided to lease them out because almost three quarters of the public toilets in the city were screened off and remained closed for a number of years since the council could not afford to keep them in a hygienic state,” said Mrs Mpofu.
She said the council had also decided to lease them out because residents had in previous years vandalised the toilets.
“If the toilets remain as public toilets, they remain open 24 hours and as a result get vandalised at night by the same residents who need the toilets.
“It has also been proven in other countries that leasing public toilets is the best way to maintain and protect public toilets,” she said.
Mrs Mpofu also urged residents to stop vandalising council property and to behave responsibly .
Online Reporter