Residents of Diepsloot Extension 1 say they are contributing money to hire private plumbers to unblock neglected communal toilets, and have blamed years of inaction by the City of Johannesburg.
Image: Simon Majadibodu / IOL
Residents of Diepsloot Extension 1 informal settlement say they are not going to cast their votes in the upcoming local government elections as they are forced to contribute R10 per yard to pay private plumbers to unblock toilets.
Residents say the toilets were built in 2002, but the City of Johannesburg has never maintained or serviced them. However, it is not clear who built the toilets.
IOL News recently visited the area and found that most street-based communal toilets are in a severe state of disrepair - blocked, leaking, broken, and, in some cases, missing doors entirely.
The problem appears widespread, with nearly every street affected.
Community leader and activist Che Serobedi said the issue has persisted for years.
“The issue has been affecting us for many years. I came to Diepsloot nine years ago, and since then, many toilets have not been serviced by the municipality,” he said.
Serobedi said residents previously raised the issue with Ward 95 councillor Julius Maake, but no action was taken.
“We were told the municipality does not want to take responsibility for these toilets,” he said.
“There was no proper handover, so we don’t know who built them. We only know they were constructed in 2002, and since then nothing has changed.”
Serobedi warned that the lack of maintenance poses serious health risks, including cholera and bilharzia, especially for children playing nearby.
“As residents, we sometimes contribute money to hire private plumbers. Costs vary depending on the problem - sometimes R300 - and each household contributes about R10,” he said.
Community leader of Diepsloot Extension 1, Che Serobedi says residents have been living with broken and unmaintained toilets for years.
Image: Simon Majadibodu / IOL
He also highlighted water wastage due to leaking infrastructure.
“We are losing millions of litres of water every day. We are asking Johannesburg Water, the municipality and government leaders to intervene.”
Serobedi acknowledged that residents sometimes contribute to blockages but said the lack of controlled access worsens the problem.
“These toilets were built in the streets and are not locked, so anyone can use them and leave a mess. Some residents have now started locking toilets to protect them.”
He said the situation has left residents disillusioned.
“When leaders come asking for votes, we see no service delivery - potholes, blocked toilets, congestion. We are at a loss,” he said, adding that he would not vote.
Another resident, Tshepho Manabile, who has lived in the area for more than two decades, described the situation as dire.
“We have a serious sanitation problem affecting children and the elderly. We have reported this to the relevant structures, including Johannesburg Water, but nothing has been done,” he said.
Manabile estimated that more than 200 toilets in the area are not functioning.
“People are forced to walk about 50 metres to find a working toilet. Many have no doors, seats or taps.”
He said repeated complaints have resulted only in reference numbers without resolution.
“I won’t vote for the same party again because there has been no change,” he said, referring to the ANC.
Tshepho Manabile, a long-time resident of Diepsloot Extension 1, says the sanitation crisis is affecting children and the elderly.
Image: Simon Majadibodu / IOL
Another resident, Moruti Mokeona, echoed concerns about health risks.
“We are not safe. About 50 people use each toilet daily, and they are not serviced,” he said.
Mokeona said residents often hire plumbers monthly despite limited income.
“It doesn’t sit well with us, but we have no choice. Some people are unemployed, yet we still have to contribute.”
He also raised concerns about uncollected waste and illegal dumping.
IOL News observed large piles of rubbish throughout the area.
“We used to volunteer to clean illegal dumps, but we stopped because the municipality does not consider us for job opportunities,” he said.
Resident of Diepsloot Extension 1, Moruti Mokoena says residents are forced to contribute money monthly to hire plumbers despite limited income.
Image: Simon Majadibodu / IOL
Mokoena added that while he intends to vote, he will support a different party.
“If we don’t vote, it means we accept our conditions. But we need change.”
IOL News reached out to Maake, who acknowledged the issue but declined to comment, referring queries to Johannesburg Water.
Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said the entity is not responsible for maintaining the toilets.
“Toilets were constructed in 2002. None of the toilets fall under Johannesburg Water.”
“Johannesburg Water is not responsible for the maintenance of the toilets so we don’t have the number of which toilets are currently operational.”
“There is no maintenance schedule from Johannesburg water,” Shabalala said when asked about maintenance schedules for the toilets, and when they were last serviced.
“Johannesburg Water mandate is the maintenance of water and sewer infrastructure that has been officially handed over by Human Settlements of the city.”
She said the toilets are not registered under Johannesburg Water asset register, and they cannot conduct maintenance on infrastructure that is not part of their assets.
“However, we can confirm that we are not conducting any maintenance on the toilets.”
She added that there is currently no plan from the entity to restore functionality of the toilets.
Many communal toilets in Diepsloot Extension 1 are broken, leaking and in a severe state of disrepair.
Image: Simon Majadibodu / IOL
Pikitup spokesperson Anthony Selepe said 12 skip bins have been placed in the area, with four additional bins recently added.
“A total of 12 skip waste bins have been strategically placed in various locations in Diepsloot Ext 1 to enable residents in the area to dispose of their waste in a responsible and acceptable manner, thereby facilitating efficient waste collection services,” said Selepe.
“No bins were removed. Pikitup, through its inspection and monitoring services, has increased the allocation of skip bins in the area by placing four additional bins in extension 1 to ensure residents receive service.”
“Instead, Pikitup is currently assisting a cooperative named Bontle with resources to enable it to collect recycling materials in and outside Diepsloot. This initiative has empowered community members of Diepsloot, including waste pickers, by enabling them to make a living through recycling.”
Residents of Diepsloot Extension 1 have expressed concern over the large piles of uncollected garbage.
Image: Simon Majadibodu / IOL
Selepe said inspections are conducted to ensure that no waste is left unattended.
“In addition, various communication platforms have been established to engage with stakeholders and ensure that waste-related matters are addressed and resolved promptly.”
“The collection schedule is developed to ensure that all areas within Diepsloot receive service, supervisors and teams are constantly on the ground to monitor the implementation of the waste collection schedule.”
Pikitup is a waste management company for the City of Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, the City of Johannesburg referred queries to the office of the MMC for Human Settlements, Mlungusi Mabaso.
A response was not received from Mabaso’s spokesperson Penwell Dlamini at the time of publication, despite promising to do so.
ANC Greater Johannesburg spokesperson Mantombi Nkosi told IOL News the party takes residents’ concerns very seriously.
“Access to dignified sanitation is a basic human right, and the conditions described - particularly those relating to communal toilets installed in 2002 - are unacceptable,” she said.
Nkosi said the toilets were donated by an external donor, but that Joburg Water and the housing department had committed to maintaining them once a budget is allocated.
She said it would be incorrect to describe the situation as a complete failure, but acknowledged there have been shortcomings.
“The reality is that informal settlements like Diepsloot have grown rapidly, often outpacing the state’s capacity to provide adequate infrastructure at the required speed and scale,” she said.
“That said, this cannot be used as a permanent excuse. Where there are lapses in maintenance, accountability must be enforced. The ANC remains committed to correcting these challenges, improving governance and ensuring that service delivery reaches all communities effectively.”
Residents of Diepsloot Extension 1 say they are forced to contribute money to repair blocked communal toilets.
Image: Simon Majadibodu / IOL
Nkosi said that in a democracy, citizens have the right to express dissatisfaction through the ballot.
“However, we urge residents to also consider the broader historical and ongoing efforts made by the ANC-led coalition to expand access to basic services since 1994,” she said.
She added that the party does not take community support for granted.
“Instead, we see this as a call to action to do better, to listen more and to act with urgency. The ANC will continue engaging directly with residents, rebuilding trust and demonstrating through action that their concerns are being addressed.”
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