New toilets for Mahlakung residents 

Following sustained pressure from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and local residents, the Lephalale Local Municipality has installed five new toilets in the Mahlakung informal settlement.

The intervention comes after the DA publicly exposed the appalling and undignified conditions faced by the community, where residents were forced to rely on overflowing and poorly maintained long-drop toilets.

The newly installed facilities include five additional bucket toilets, two of which are accessible to persons with disabilities. While this development is welcomed as a step in the right direction, the DA says it only happened after significant political and community pressure.

“Access to safe and dignified sanitation is not a favour from the municipality – it is a constitutional obligation,” said DA Caucus Leader in Lephalale, Cllr Sybil Nieuwoudt. “Communities should not have to endure inhumane conditions, media exposure and political pressure before basic services are delivered.”

She added that while the new toilets bring some immediate relief, they do not address the root causes of the sanitation crisis in Mahlakung.

“Temporary measures cannot replace proper planning, maintenance and long-term infrastructure investment. Residents deserve more than reactive responses – they deserve sustainable, dignified living conditions,” Nieuwoudt said.

The DA has called on the municipality to:

• Ensure the newly installed toilets are properly maintained and serviced regularly;

• Provide clear timelines for further sanitation upgrades where needed;

• Present a concrete plan to formalise the Mahlakung informal settlement, including permanent sanitation, housing and basic services;

• Engage transparently with the community on progress and accountability.

The party has also indicated that it will continue monitoring the situation and escalate the matter if the municipality fails to deliver dignified and sustainable sanitation services for all residents.

For the Mahlakung community, the new toilets offer some relief, but many residents say what is truly needed is long-term planning and permanent infrastructure that restores dignity and improves daily living conditions.