Premier and DA leader Helen Zille has changed tack and apologised for the unenclosed toilets debacle, just three days before the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) stages a protest against township sanitation standards.
"It is an episode we greatly regret, and from which we have learnt," Zille told a joint sitting of Parliament yesterday to mark Human Rights Day on Sunday.
But while Zille has apologised, Cape Town mayor Dan Plato, who recently stood unsuccessfully for election as DA Western Cape leader, was not prepared to do so last night.
Plato initially declined to comment, saying he had not seen Zille's statement.
Moments later, he said: "If province wants to make an apology it doesn't mean we have to do likewise."
Plato said he would view the premier's statement today.
He was unable to comment on whether the toilets would be upgraded to include walls.
The issue of unenclosed toilets in Khayelitsha drew media attention in January, when the ANC Youth League asked the SA Human Rights Commission to probe alleged human rights violations by the City of Cape Town.
The commission has still to disclose its findings.
Residents in the Makhaza section of Khayelitsha were provided toilets by the City of Cape Town on condition they built their own enclosures.
When the Cape Times visited the area, several people said they had not been able to afford constructing the walls and roofs and for months they had made use of the toilets in full view of their neighbours.
Plato initially tried to justify the decision to build unenclosed toilets, saying residents in Town 2 and Makhaza residents had agreed on a toilet per erf while the community would build their own enclosures.
This deviated from national guidelines for upgrading unserviced informal settlements of one concrete enclosed toilet for five plots.
The city and Plato had stood by their defence of the toilets, and reiterated several times in the media that community members had agreed to the building of unenclosed toilets.
At Parliament, Zille said: "We now know that an agreement, even when it is negotiated with a community for the purpose of maximising service delivery and stretching the budget; and even if it works for 95 percent of families who agree to build their own enclosures so that they can get a toilet each rather than one toilet for every five families; even then, it may not work for everyone."
She said the plan had ended with the human dignity of the other five percent insulted.
"We have now reverted back to the national guidelines for upgrading unserviced informal settlements, which provides for one toilet for every five families, rather than one toilet per family which they agree to enclose themselves.
"We cannot risk the unintended consequence whereby people face the indignity of relieving themselves in public.
"Often we get it right. Sometimes we get it wrong. And when we do, we must reflect on our actions and correct our course."
Meanwhile, the SJC is to draw attention to sanitation standards in townships on Saturday by hosting a queue outside a public toilet in Sea Point from 10am.
"It is an episode we greatly regret, and from which we have learnt," Zille told a joint sitting of Parliament yesterday to mark Human Rights Day on Sunday.
But while Zille has apologised, Cape Town mayor Dan Plato, who recently stood unsuccessfully for election as DA Western Cape leader, was not prepared to do so last night.
Plato initially declined to comment, saying he had not seen Zille's statement.
Moments later, he said: "If province wants to make an apology it doesn't mean we have to do likewise."
Plato said he would view the premier's statement today.
He was unable to comment on whether the toilets would be upgraded to include walls.
The issue of unenclosed toilets in Khayelitsha drew media attention in January, when the ANC Youth League asked the SA Human Rights Commission to probe alleged human rights violations by the City of Cape Town.
The commission has still to disclose its findings.
Residents in the Makhaza section of Khayelitsha were provided toilets by the City of Cape Town on condition they built their own enclosures.
When the Cape Times visited the area, several people said they had not been able to afford constructing the walls and roofs and for months they had made use of the toilets in full view of their neighbours.
Plato initially tried to justify the decision to build unenclosed toilets, saying residents in Town 2 and Makhaza residents had agreed on a toilet per erf while the community would build their own enclosures.
This deviated from national guidelines for upgrading unserviced informal settlements of one concrete enclosed toilet for five plots.
The city and Plato had stood by their defence of the toilets, and reiterated several times in the media that community members had agreed to the building of unenclosed toilets.
At Parliament, Zille said: "We now know that an agreement, even when it is negotiated with a community for the purpose of maximising service delivery and stretching the budget; and even if it works for 95 percent of families who agree to build their own enclosures so that they can get a toilet each rather than one toilet for every five families; even then, it may not work for everyone."
She said the plan had ended with the human dignity of the other five percent insulted.
"We have now reverted back to the national guidelines for upgrading unserviced informal settlements, which provides for one toilet for every five families, rather than one toilet per family which they agree to enclose themselves.
"We cannot risk the unintended consequence whereby people face the indignity of relieving themselves in public.
"Often we get it right. Sometimes we get it wrong. And when we do, we must reflect on our actions and correct our course."
Meanwhile, the SJC is to draw attention to sanitation standards in townships on Saturday by hosting a queue outside a public toilet in Sea Point from 10am.
- Cape Times
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