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Asivikelane service delivery impacts counter

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Water
1478
Impacts counter_Sanitation
SANITATION
1922
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SOLID WASTE
2269
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Infrastructure
263
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SYSTEMS IMPACTS
39
Impacts counter_Residents
RESIDENT IMPACTS
15917097

Since March 2020

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Sanitation

Managing WASH infrastructure across local governments: a comparative case study of Indonesian, South African and Swiss municipalities

This research, published by the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management and co-written by Asivikelane, looks at how local governments manage water, sanitation and health infrastructure, also known as WASH. It highlights common challenges and suggests ways to improve these services so they better meet the needs of communities.

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Innovative sanitation solutions for sustainable development

Published by the City of Joburg Human Settlements Department, this publication explores innovative sanitation solutions for informal settlements and contributes to the growing body of knowledge on inclusive, sustainable sanitation options. Our learning paper, which includes practical recommendations for transforming how municipalities manage temporary sanitation, is featured on page 50.

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Managing temporary sanitation in informal settlements: Lessons from Asivikelane

The delivery of permanent sanitation infrastructure struggles to keep pace with the rapid growth of informal settlements. Cities rely on short-term solutions while waiting for permanent infrastructure. But “temporary” toilets often last for years, with billions spent on solutions costing more than permanent infrastructure. Based on years of systematic evidence collection and community engagement, we’ve identified six practical recommendations that can transform how municipalities manage temporary sanitation.

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A quarter of residents still don’t have access to a municipal provided toilet

In March 2025, we asked 5,308 residents across 202 informal settlements in 8 municipalities what type of toilet they use. Only 10% of residents have flush toilets, the remainder use self-dug pit toilets, chemical toilets, Ventilated Improved Pit toilets, porta pottis or bucket toilets.

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Manage temporary sanitation in informal settlements

Urban municipalities often struggle to provide permanent sanitation to informal settlements, relying on temporary solutions like chemical toilets and VIP latrines. These often face issues such as high costs, poor maintenance, and community rejection, remaining in place long-term despite their shortcomings. In our latest learning paper, Asivikelane’s insights highlight solutions to improve sanitation and address the lack of municipal planning for permanent infrastructure.

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Provision of sanitation in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality

This detailed brief looks at the availability of communal water and sanitation services across 6 informal settlements in Mangaung and asks residents what their interim sanitation needs are.

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Informal settlement taps and toilets in Buffalo City

Asivikelane mapped broken communal flush toilets, taps and standpipes across 10 informal settlements to determine the extent of damaged infrastructure. We share this information with the metro to help improve access to water and sanitation and make recommendations for fault reporting mechanisms.

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Ventilated Improved Pit toilets in informal settlements in the City of Johannesburg

Ventilated Improved Pit toilets are a critical intervention to ensure that residents in informal settlements have access to dignified and safe sanitation. Asivikelane recommends which policies are needed to provide for the lifespan of these toilets, how to repair and maintain them and when and how they should be decommissioned.

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Asivikelane WC#13 DOUBLE thumbnail

Let’s make sanitation accessible to all

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.

Download the Knysna PDF
Download the data for Knysna
Download the Stellenbosch PDF
Download the data for Stellenbosch
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Women in Knysna and Stellenbosch need safe sanitation

40% of women in Knysna’s informal settlements use chemical toilets. For many of them, this is an unsafe form of sanitation. In Stellenbosch, the solid waste collection service has deteriorated, exposing residents to numerous health risks. We advise both municipalities on how to fix these service delivery issues.

Download the Knysna PDF
Download the data for Knysna
Download the Stellenbosch PDF
Download the data for Stellenbosch

Contact us

IBPSA NPC
G02, Ground Floor, Park Building,
Black River Park South,
2 Fir Street, Observatory,
7925, Cape Town

+27 21 447 0019
info@asivikelane.org

Asivikelane is an initiative of International
Budget Partnership South Africa (IBPSA NPC).

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