Volume II - The Northern Cape Provincial Spatial Development ...

Northern Cape PSDF
Volume 2
December 2011
Cape. In 2007/2008, the Department of Housing and Local Government allocated an amount of R1
million for bucket eradication in Pixely ka Seme.
In 2007/2008, the South African government allocated R1 billion for the eradication of the bucket
system under the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) program. However, this amount of money
has proved to be apparently insufficient due to unexpected challenges encountered by
municipalities during the implementation of bucket eradication projects.
It is evident from the Community Survey (2007) that in the entire Northern Cape, from 2001 to
2007, the bucket system has decreased from 10% to 4.4%; households with no toilets has
decreased from 13.1% to 6.9%; and households with pit latrines have decreased from 18.4% to
14.4%%. However, since the eradication of the bucket system is a national priority, more
emphasis should be placed on budgetary allocation to increase flush and chemical toilets for
households.
In the John Taolo Gaetsewe SDF (2007) it is stated that eco‐toilets should be invested as a
sanitation provision option in the district, but also in the Province as a whole because water is a
scarce resources not only on provincial but also on national level. Flush toilets are thus becoming
more of a luxury and alternative sanitation should only contribute to minimising/preventing
ground water pollution, but should be capable of totally eliminating any possibilities thereof.
Furthermore, in government sanitation programs the main focus has been on the provision of
waterborne sanitation or Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) toilets since they are the minimum RDP
standard regarding sanitation. VIP toilets are able to provide an extremely effective sanitation
solution to the vast majority of rural and peri‐urban households. The Mvula Trust 35 has
implemented the VIP toilet design widely in the Northern Cape, especially in the John Taolo
Gaetsewe Municipality. The VIP toilet have unfortunately also the stigma of being a ‘poor man’s
solution’ to the sanitation backlog, which has tarnished the image of this basically sound
technology.
Table E.29: Top sewage concerns per district municipality of the Northern Cape (Source:
Community Survey, 2007).
DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY SEWAGE CONCERNS
Johan Taolo Gaetsewe • Overall, pit latrines without ventilation occurs moist in the district, followed by flush
toilets connected to sewerage systems.
• Doubts have been raised on the environmental acceptability of the VIP toilet,
especially in terms of its potential to contribute to ground water pollution.
Namaqua • The remote villages and small farm settlements are mostly unserviced, and this is
challenging due to the dispersed nature of settlements and poor availability of
general infrastructure.
• The topography of certain areas is also cites as challenge to basic services.
Pixley ka Seme • Appropriate sanitation is at 52.2% considering the provincial average of 57%.
• The Bo Karoo area (previous DMA) has very poor service and infrastructure levels.
Siyanda • The majority of households have access to basic services in the district.
• The appropriate sanitation is at 66.9% for the district.
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The Mvula Trust is South Africa’s leading water and sanitation NGO. Its mission is to improve the health and
livelihoods of poor and disadvantaged South Africans using community‐based approaches to facilitate the
delivery of integrated and sustainable water, sanitation and related services while ensuring that people’s voices
are heard. http://www.mvula.co.za/
Office of the Premier &
Department of Rural Development & Land Reform
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Dennis Moss Partnership