City responds to SJC's misinterpretation of sanitation rollout in Cape Town

The City of Cape Town today notes, with some dismay, the points raised by the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) in a memorandum addressed to the Executive Mayor of Cape Town.

Regrettably, the SJC has once again misinterpreted a range of data on sanitation and, as a result, has inaccurately portrayed the sanitation situation in Cape Town.

Cape Town is the leading sanitation services provider in South Africa. It is therefore ridiculous for the SJC to refer to a "crisis" in this regard in the City.

The SJC is either unaware, or has deliberately ignored, National Government assessments of our delivery record.

According to the National Department of Water Affairs:

• Cape Town has 100% adequate sanitation in informal settlements as opposed to a 43% national average.
• Of the 1,3 million households in South Africa with no sanitation at all, NONE are in Cape Town.
• Of the 2,7 million households in SA with "inadequate" sanitation NONE are in Cape Town.

In addition to the above, the most recent Census confirmed that over 97% of people living in Cape Town have access to sanitation, despite a population growth of 30% in this period.

The SJC has misunderstood the census figures as they related to bucket toilets. To some people, anything short of a full flush toilet is colloquially described as a bucket toilet. People in informal settlements sometimes use the word "bucket" to describe range of different technologies.

The fact is that there are only approximately 700 bucket toilets in use in the city, which the City is currently replacing - the only municipality to do so. It is noteworthy that the nation-wide backlog is well in excess of 100 000.

The SJC's incorrect figures are reflective of their misunderstanding of toilet typologies - a consistent error that they make.

The City has made available extensive information on the monitoring of our service contractors. Regrettably, this too appears to have been misunderstood by the SJC.

The City has a number of monitoring systems in place. If faults are noted, the SJC, and, more crucially, members of the public are encouraged to report them immediately, through the numerous reporting mechanisms the City has made available.

The SJC has unsurprisingly ignored the proactive measures the City has taken, including obtaining an interdict and the use of Metro Police to help deal with the Sannicare labour dispute. These measures include a regular cleaning programme in affected areas, with the use of armed police.

It would be helpful if the SJC used their resources to assist the City by encouraging the community to desist from violence thereby helping people to receive desperately-needed cleaning and maintenance services in their areas.

The SJC has misrepresented the City's janitorial programme. This is a unique programme in South Africa, and did have some teething problems at the outset. However, these have largely been addressed and a Janitorial Services Operational Policy has been developed.

Finally, the SJC asks about the City's ongoing plans for increasing sanitation. Amongst other initiatives, we have, since April distributed 6 000 portable flush toilets and are planning to roll out 23 000 in total. The City also plans to install over 1 300 full flush toilets around the city.

The SJC is clearly unaware that the City's approved budget informs our delivery programme. Nearly R70 million has been set aside for the Informal Settlements Water and Sanitation capital budget for the next financial year. This is over and above the massive Informal Settlements Water and Sanitation operational expenditure on toilet provision which is R450 million.

The City respects the right of the SJC to voice their concerns. However, it is imperative that they do so on the basis of accurate information. We therefore would ask that they review their claims and direct their efforts to working with the City to even further improve the quality of sanitation provided in Cape Town.

Statement issued by Councillor Ernest Sonnenberg, Mayoral Committee Member for Utility Services, City of Cape Town, June 25 2013

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