R631m tender toilets collapse

Hemps

Hemps

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http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/r631m-tender-toilets-collapse/

Only one Siyenza toilet out of 83 in Hoyi Village outside Peddie is still relatively upright.

Eighteen of the 83 new toilets were seen collapsed into their pits and 65 had keeled over when the Easter weekend’s rains swept over the province.

The current state of most of the toilets in the same village Pictures: ZISANDA NKONKOBE
The toilets, installed in February and March, were erected as part of a controversial R631-million tender awarded by the Amathole district municipality to Siyenza Group. The group has subcontracted some of the work to politically connected contractors.

Beneficiaries of the toilets were furious and deeply disappointed, complaining that the work and materials were inferior.

The Dispatch visited two villages, Hoyi and Tuku, which both fall under Nqushwa municipality.

Toilets were lying half in their pits, or leaning over precariously.

In Hoyi residents complained that trenches were not dug deep enough, bolts for the walls were driven into soft sand and there was no solid base for the structures.

Toilet seats were said to slide around while people were sitting on them and the plastic doors flew open in the wind, even when locked with the plastic bolt.

Phumeza Mjekula said of her toilet: “It first filled up with water so I couldn’t use it, and then I watched it collapse.

“My family and I were left with no proper toilet, but luckily we still have the old one,” she said.

The new toilets were built next to the resident’s old ones, with only a handful in usable condition.

Other residents, excited to have received their new facilities, filled in their old toilet pits and recycled the zinc sheets for other home alteration projects.

Nophelele Yani said that since Sunday she had been using her neighbour’s toilet while Mthuthuzeli Mxabaniso said it had only been a matter of time before the toilets fell over.

“Imagine if someone had been inside the toilet when it collapsed,” Mxabaniso said.

“I was too scared to even go in there. The kids used it because they were too terrified of being bitten by snakes in the old toilet.”

Residents from Tuku Village said 283 toilets were to be installed, with only half completed so far.

Of those 140 toilets installed, around half also collapsed over the weekend.

Nomzi Bekani said: “I had not even used it yet.

“We were told to wait until we got the go-ahead from the contractors, but on Sunday morning I found it lying on its side.”

Questions were sent to ADM spokesman Siyabulela Makhungana, who said they would comment only when the Public Protector had made a ruling on the project.

In a new twist to the saga, the Dispatch yesterday learnt that one of the suppliers providing material for the ADM project, Berlin-based Concretex, had to stop delivery as the quality of the material used raised concerns.

This was after toilets from two different municipalities collapsed.

Russell Hulley of Concretex said the company had to stop supply after most of their toilets were eroded and collapsed after the heavy rains last weekend.

“We now have a new pit lining to be fitted to those toilets,” he said.

“We are addressing the issue and, as such, we have stopped the delivery of those specific toilets. It was a structure that was passed by the ADM, but it is not working.”

Toilets built by a second supplier, Bertrams, are said to still be standing.

Lukas Fourier of Bertrams said the problem was that some suppliers failed to provide proper structures.

“Their supplies are inferior and do not comply with good governance for sustainability,” Fourier said.

The Dispatch has reported extensively on the major problems faced by communities at the Great Kei Local Municipality, where the toilets supplied under the aegis of the Siyenza Group collapsed within weeks of being built. — [email protected] / [email protected]
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Votela i-ANC for best cadre deployment and tenderpreneurship!
 
Well at least they are improving. The 1 standing toilet is a testament to this!
 
The toilet is constructed to last long enough for a photo to be taken with the proud new owner and for the team to get out of the area.

They can then claim a successful install and get paid for it.

What happens a week later is not their problem!!
 
Wasn't there an uproar from the (ANC) people in Cape Town - with the Toilets they were getting / not getting / not wanting there... it was a huge thing... here - this will probably be swept away like so much other crap apparently there as we can't criticize the Government for trying...
 
cyberbob1979 said:
Wasn't there an uproar from the (ANC) people in Cape Town - with the Toilets they were getting / not getting / not wanting there... it was a huge thing... here - this will probably be swept away like so much other crap apparently there as we can't criticize the Government for trying...
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Correct. Buckets of poo were deposited all over Cape Town in protest!
 
I am sorry. I know this is wrong but I was laughing the whole way through the article.

Once again lesson to be learnt. When you vote for a sub-standard government, be prepared when you receive a sub-standard service (If you receive any service at all). I am sorry but I have absolutely no sympathy for the people who this is happening to.

It is a simple result of giving tenders to people who have absolutely no clue what to do, yet still charge a ridiculous amount to install these toilets. Really how can you put what looks like a piece of paving concrete on the ground, put a toilet on top of it and expect it to work and last.

Perhaps next elections they will think twice before putting there vote next to the face of Zuma and his corrupt ANC. I doubt it but one can only hope. Sure a KFC streetwise 2 and a free t-shirt will put there mind at ease again.
 
durbandave said:
Perhaps next elections they will think twice before putting there vote next to the face of Zuma and his corrupt ANC. I doubt it but one can only hope. Sure a KFC streetwise 2 and a free t-shirt will put there mind at ease again.
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Thats the crux of the problems in Africa. They keep on voting for the same brainless and corrupt despots again and again.
 
It looks like what has happened is that these pavement stones have been placed over a simple hole dug into the ground. Obviously the brains trust that installed these never took into consideration that water erodes the soil, so as it rains the hole is just becoming bigger and bigger until the toilet simply falls into the hole.

And none of these geniuses could have foreseen this happening?
 
durbandave said:
It looks like what has happened is that these pavement stones have been placed over a simple hole dug into the ground. Obviously the brains trust that installed these never took into consideration that water erodes the soil, so as it rains the hole is just becoming bigger and bigger until the toilet simply falls into the hole.

And none of these geniuses could have foreseen this happening?
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cANCer for you. Bloody idiots.
 
Seriously said:
Thats the crux of the problems in Africa. They keep on voting for the same brainless and corrupt despots again and again.
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Well the tenderpreneur who installed this will get nice and rich again when he gets awarded another 631 mill contract to come fix it. Life is good on the gravy train. There is no way he could have foreseen this happening:wtf:
 
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