Ngobi: Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has handed over completed sanitation facilities to indigent households in Ngobi village, located in the Moretele Local Municipality in the North West. This initiative was part of the lead-up to World Toilet Day 2024, observed annually on 19 November to inspire action against the global sanitation crisis affecting 3.5 billion people lacking safely managed sanitation.
According to South African Government News Agency, the sanitation facilities are a component of the R50 million Rural Sanitation Project implemented by the Moretele Local Municipality. The project is funded by the Department of Water and Sanitation to help the municipality meet its constitutional obligation to provide dignified sanitation. Minister Majodina handed over ventilated improved pit (VIP) toilets to vulnerable groups, including households with elderly and disabled members.
The Moretele Municipality, through the department’s Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG), has constructed a
nd completed 1,865 VIP toilets across Ward 1 (Phidile village), Ward 6 (Swaartdam village), and Ward 7 (Ngobi village). This project received funding for implementation over the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25.
During her interaction with community members after the handover, Majodina emphasized the department’s commitment to supporting Water Services Authorities through its infrastructure programme, ensuring access to water and sanitation services. She highlighted the department’s efforts to address the sanitation backlog in Moretele Municipality, aiming to restore dignity to residents by focusing on the needs of women and girls as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2.
Although a waterborne sanitation system remains a goal for many communities, Majodina noted that dry on-site sanitation, such as VIP latrines, offers safe alternatives in areas facing geographical and resource constraints, including issues related to water resources and climate change.
As South Africa joins the global obse
rvance of World Toilet Day on 19 November, the department aims to raise awareness about the daily challenges in accessing proper sanitation experienced by approximately 2.5 billion people worldwide. This year’s theme, ‘Toilet – A Place for Peace’, underscores the threat to sanitation services posed by conflict, climate change, disasters, and neglect. It calls on governments to ensure resilient, effective, sustainable, and accessible sanitation services, demanding increased investment and improved governance for a fairer, more peaceful world.