Residents of Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay are benefiting from a R1,8 million investment in an upgraded sanitation service, with 110 new full flush toilets and 34 taps recently handed over to the community.
During the past nine months since the start of the current financial year in July 2025, the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate has installed more than 3 600 toilets across informal settlements city-wide. These projects are spearheaded by the Informal Settlements and Basic Services Branch (ISBS), while support teams have carried out nearly 5 000 repair and maintenance interventions to keep services functional.
Most recently, an investment of R1,8 million went into improving sanitation in Imizamo Yethu, where ageing, vandalised and misused infrastructure had reached the end of its lifespan.
The work included removing old structures and installing new precast concrete toilets, along with upgraded taps to improve access to clean water.
‘Our focus remains on ensuring that every resident, regardless of where they live, has access to dignified and reliable sanitation services. These new facilities add to the existing services in the area, which already include 338 full flush toilets, 132 chemical toilets and 68 portable flush toilets,’ said Councillor Zahid Badroodien, Mayoral Committee Member for Water and Sanitation.
Full flush toilets are used where conditions allow, as they are easier to maintain, more environmentally sustainable and offer a more dignified service.
‘To support the upkeep of these facilities, 24 new jobs have been created for janitors appointed from the local community, through the Expanded Public Works Programme. In addition to cleaning, they play an important role in reporting faults so that maintenance teams can respond quickly.
The recent upgrades focused on Donsteyakhe, Imizamo Yethu SAPS, Penzance, Depotsite TRA and Huguenot, while further sanitation projects are planned for rollout in Philippi, Gugulethu, Delft, Khayelitsha, Strand and Langa between April and June 2026.
