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Today I returned to Walmer Township, where over 3000 bucket toilets still exist, confirming that this ANC government continues to turn its back on a community in need.

It is pure neglect that Mayor Jordaan continues to ignore the plight of this community, after many attempts by the SAHRC, my colleagues in parliament and myself to bring the enormity of this issue to the attention of national, provincial and local government. I've written multiple times, and even invited Mayor Jordaan to join me, yet he has shut his door and turned his back on Walmer's bucket toilet problem.

It is unacceptable that our people are still using bucket toilets 21 years into our democracy and that every government-set deadline to eradicate them has been missed. The DA will eradicate the NMB bucket toilet system for all residents still using them, in our first term of office, and that is our hand-on-the-heart promise.

I have kept my promise to take this issue up, by writing to the SAHRC, the Mayor and the Minister of Water and Sanitation but both the Minister and the Mayor chose to ignore the bucket toilet crisis and the SAHRC confirmed that this ANC administration has simply ignored the problem for far too long.

“Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected” says our Bill of Rights, yet these bucket toilet users are systemically denied this right by the NMB government of the ANC. The arrogance displayed by Mayor Jordaan's office adds insult to the injury endured by this forgotten community for too long.

While the Mayor turns his back on the bucket toilet crisis, I will remain on the side of residents who are forced to live in these horrific conditions.

True freedom is founded in dignity and fairness. The DA can win Nelson Mandela Bay in next year’s elections so that our people’s dignity can be restored and nurtured by a caring government.

The DA will build a safe, caring and inclusive Metro that is forward thinking and well run.

Issued by the Democratic Alliance