Ramaphosa informal settlement in Vereeniging is facing a worsening sanitation crisis, as residents are now forced to resort to using buckets and pit latrines—despite having mobile toilets provided by the government. The deteriorating situation highlights serious concerns over service delivery and raises critical questions about governmental accountability.
The crisis stems from the Gauteng provincial government’s decision to halt funding for the sanitation programme responsible for cleaning and servicing the portable toilets distributed in the area. Without regular maintenance, these toilets have become unusable, exposing the community to health hazards and stripping residents of their dignity.
According to several community members, the toilets have not been emptied or cleaned for several months. The stench, filth, and growing health risks have pushed many to abandon the facilities altogether. Some have turned to makeshift alternatives, such as plastic buckets, which are used indoors and emptied into nearby open areas—further compounding the public health risks.
Despite being notified well in advance to assume responsibility for the sanitation programme, the Emfuleni Local Municipality says it simply does not have the financial means to take over the service. The result is a bureaucratic deadlock that has left residents to bear the brunt of systemic failure.
Ramaphosa Informal Settlement Gripped by Sanitation Crisis Amid Government Inaction
The Ramaphosa informal settlement, named after President Cyril Ramaphosa, was once a symbol of hope—a place where residents believed basic rights like proper sanitation and housing were within reach. Today, it stands as a painful example of the disconnect between political promises and lived reality.
In one of the many modest homes scattered across the settlement, Eyewitness News found Vuyolwethu Mjodo, a resident wearing an ANC t-shirt emblazoned with President Ramaphosa’s image. Sitting on a five-litre bucket, Mjodo was chewing on sugar cane—ironically, the same bucket, he explained, now doubles as a makeshift toilet for his young daughter.
“I use these filthy toilets as they are, with a cigarette in my hand,” he said. “But I’ve stopped my daughter from using them. She uses this bucket now, and we dispose of the waste right here in front of our door.”
The imagery is striking—and deeply troubling. The community, once hopeful that naming the settlement after President Ramaphosa would bring change, now expresses anger and disillusionment. Many residents feel abandoned by leadership at all levels of government.
Community leaders and activists have repeatedly called for urgent intervention, emphasizing the dire public health implications of the sanitation collapse. Raw sewage and human waste in public spaces increase the risk of disease outbreaks, particularly in densely populated informal settlements.
The Emfuleni Municipality has since acknowledged the severity of the problem and stated that it is “developing a plan” to address the issue. However, no clear timeline has been provided, and residents remain skeptical of promises that have yet to materialize.
“This is not just about toilets,” said one local organizer who asked not to be named. “This is about dignity, about children growing up in safe and clean environments. We named this place Ramaphosa because we believed in the future. But what kind of future do we have when our children are forced to relieve themselves in buckets?”
The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements has also faced scrutiny, with critics accusing it of failing to ensure a sustainable transition of services when the original sanitation contract ended. In its defense, the department said the municipalities had been informed and were expected to integrate the services into their budgets.
Meanwhile, advocacy groups and human rights organizations have urged the national government to step in. They argue that sanitation is a basic human right enshrined in the South African Constitution and that no citizen should be forced to live in such conditions.
The unfolding situation in Ramaphosa informal settlement has sparked a broader conversation about service delivery failures across the country, particularly in marginalized communities. It also raises concerns about government accountability at a time when public trust is already fragile.
For now, residents of Ramaphosa continue to wait—some with hope, others with growing frustration—for the day when their pleas for dignity and basic services are heard and answered.
As one elder in the community remarked, “We named this place after the president to honour him. But if President Ramaphosa came here today, I wonder if he would still be proud of what we have become.”
Source-Eyewitness News
