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This sign, outside the public toilets in the parking area in Munnik Street, clearly shows how a toilet can be turned into a very lucrative business. 

Municipality wants to root out “separate toilets” in town

Date: 12 December 2014 By: Isabel Venter

The Makhado Municipality accused private businesses in Louis Trichardt this week of having segregated toilets, and has called on the public to report such businesses.

Municipal spokesperson Mr Louis Bobodi responded to media questions put to the municipality shortly after the speech by Makhado Mayor David Mutavhatsindi on 13 November regarding the name change of Louis Trichardt. During this speech, the mayor mentioned articles that appeared in the Sowetan newspaper regarding the alleged segregated toilets at the Sentraal Office Complex and Blouberg Animal Clinic in Louis Trichardt.

Mutavhatsindi further indicated that Council should fight this “as its pure racism.”

“…I want to indicate that maybe as councillors we must embark … on a campaign. We just get a day, and we say we are just moving around, making sure that we are getting into their offices, so that when we are in their offices we get pressed, so that we see which toilet we are going to be referred to. We need to fight these things,” said Mutavhatsindi.

After the meeting, the Zoutpansberger sent follow-up questions to the municipality regarding the mayor’s remarks.  

This week, municipal spokesperson Mr Louis Bobodi responded that the municipality is making a “clarion call to members of the public to report those issues to us, so that we can take them to the Human Rights Commission.”

Bobodi did not respond to questions whether the municipality had made good on the mayor’s promise and had in fact visited other businesses. Bobodi also ignored specific questions as to whether the municipality is obligated to provide public toilets that are clean and neat.

“You would realize that the municipality has public toilets which are not segregated as compared to those owned privately,” said Bobodi in an e-mail sent to the newspaper on Tuesday (9th). He further acknowledged that the maintenance of these public toilets is the responsibility of the municipality.

Sadly, these toilets, which are situated in the parking area in Munnik Street and behind the Post Office in Burger Street, are in various states of disrepair and neglect. Some members of the public, in an attempt to install some control at these toilets, have turned them into a lucrative business. Nowadays, members of the public have to find the person carrying the key and pay that person R2 before they are allowed to use the toilet.

 

 
 
 

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Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

 
 

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