Durban - eThekwini municipal public accounts committee (MPAC) chairperson Thami Xuma has condemned the use of the bucket toilets system at Umlazi’s Prince Mshiyeni hospital because of the failure of the municipality to restore water supply.
Accompanied by his committee members Xuma undertook an oversight visit to the health facility which has been plagued by water crisis for weeks now on Monday.
He said he was shocked to learn that patients were using buckets to relieve themselves since they could not walk to mobile toilets installed outside the hospital.
Xuma said in the briefing by the hospital management he was informed that water tanks and mobile toilets were brought as temporary measures while the city engineers repaired the broken pipe which caused water cuts, adding that the management informed him that patients who could not walk were using the bucket system.
“We are calling on the health and city authorities to urgently attend to this. We cannot allow our people to return to the bucket toilet system in this day and age. We know there have been interventions both by mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane, but it seems their intervention was not enough if it meant that patients must use buckets to relieve themselves,” said Xuma.
He said he needed answers from city management on why water had not been restored, particularly at the hospital because areas neighbouring the hospital like Glebelands hostel had water.
Despite catering for more than 1 million Umlazi population, the hospital also serves people from as far as Umbumbulu, Folweni, KwaMakhutha and surrounding areas.
The water crisis at the hospital was first brought to light by the DA eThekwini councillors who visited the health facility in the south of the city. The DA’s visit prompted action by the mayor and the health department.
During his visit last week, Kaunda said it would take seven to 10 days to restore water, but a plan was in place to ensure the facility continued working.
According to the city, the plan included bringing tanks and mobile toilets.
eThekwini Municipality had not responded to a request for more comments by publication time.
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