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Over a Million South Africans Forced to Live with Inhumane Bucket Toilet System

Published October 13, 2023
1 years ago

Over a million South Africans are living with the undignified and health endangering reality of bucket toilets, as per the recent Census data release. This revelation comes at a time when the country marks its three decades of democracy and indicates the longstanding failure of the government efforts to eradicate this inhumane system.



Census data indicates that as many as 375,000 households, representing 2.1% of the total 17.8 million households in South Africa, still rely on the bucket system as their primary means of ablution. This highlights a stark contrast between the nation's progress and the grim reality that millions still endure.


Despite the deployment of costly government programs over the years aimed at eliminating this undignified practice, the impact seems negligible. More than one million South Africans are waking up to the acrid stench of human waste, unacceptable in a country that has made strides in many other fields.



The grim picture painted by the Census data offers a sobering reminder of the wide chasm between urbanised sophistication and tribal traditions, neglected in the race towards modernisation.


The challenge before the government is complex, requiring the necessitation and implementation of effective and sustainable sanitation solutions. It is no longer about policy; it is about execution and ensuring human dignity prevails.


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