Asivikelane Western Cape #13 Sanitation availability has improved in Knysna and Stellenbosch. But communal toilets are not accessible to everyone, and residents urge municipalities to improve sanitation access, hygiene and safety.

Asivikelane Western Cape #6 calls on Knysna and Stellenbosch municipalities to step up basic services, especially the provision and cleaning of communal toilets.

In this final Asivikelane WC report for 2021, informal settlement residents have yet again urged local government to listen and respond to their urgent pleas for safer and more hygienic sanitation. Communities are saying that they have practical, short-term solutions that are simple for government to implement; yet able to drastically improve dignified sanitation for all.

Asivikelane WC release #7 In this month’s Asivikelane Western Cape report, informal settlement residents are sending a clear message – their communities are not safe, the shared toilets are dirty and poorly located and the lack of public lighting puts them at risk of being assaulted.

Asivikelane WC release #6 reveals that the state of toilets in some informal settlements are so bad, that residents opt to use the bush instead. With local government elections happening in the next few weeks, voters should think critically about the level of service delivery in their communities.

Asivikelane Western Cape release #3 is a red zone! 64% of residents reported that communal toilets are either blocked, damaged or non-functional. Alarmingly, it takes the municipality up to 3 months to fix toilets and taps say 60% of residents. The critical need for effective maintenance systems is emphasised again and especially at this crucial time as the 3rd wave of Covid-19 is underway.