Roads Toilet Debate Revived - by Desie Heita
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WINDHOEK - The idea of erecting flushable ablution facilities along the national road network is still alive, and the final decision will be made next month on whether or not to go ahead with the plan.
Roads Authority, together with the Ministry of Works and Transport, will embark on a second public consultation meeting to solicit public interest, to decide whether to scrap the idea or implement it. The first meeting took place in Windhoek in September last year.
Roads Authority, which is entrusted with information gathering, say they are planning another consultative meeting outside Windhoek. This will be the second consultative meeting since the idea of public toilets along the national road was mooted.
"The idea is not dead, we only have to consult with stakeholders after which a decision would be taken," said spokesperson for Roads Authority, Audrin Mathe.
In September last year, the Minister of Works and Transport, Helmut Angula, proposed the idea to Cabinet, citing the dilemma facing motorists along the country's vast and long tarred roads.
Cabinet instructed his ministry to look into the problem and the result was for Government to seriously consider modern measures that will relieve motorists and passengers when nature calls while travelling along the country's long-distance roads.
The proposal is that ablution facilities of flushable nature, and not the pit latrine type, be constructed along the entire national tarred road network, at intervals of at least 20-kilometre distance.
Attending the first public meeting, although with poor public attendance, were representatives of the tourism industry as well as those from the public transport industry.
The tourism sector was concerned with the safety of tourists, saying criminals could start making use of the facilities to attack tourists.
The other public concern was general maintenance and upkeep of such facilities, with members of the public fearing vandalism, and the practicality of general cleaning and the maintenance of ablution facilities located in the forsaken places.
The public also noted that already, petrol service stations where there are full-time cleaning personnel, battle to keep their toilets clean.
The tourism industry suggested gauging the Association of Service Station Owners to put up more service stations along the national roads instead of concentrating on towns that are far between.
The Ministry of Works and Transport has proposed the use of National Youth Service and small and medium enterprises as contractors to work on the provision and management of public toilets infrastructure on national roads.
Angula had said the absence of ablution facilities along the road put unnecessary discomfort on motorists, especially tourists, who had to drive to the nearest town for decent ablution facilities.
The minister had personally noted the problem when on a drive along the Kamanjab and Opuwo road, which is largely used by tourists, during a visit in 2008.
Angula said the road is 250 km long and with no ablution facilities tourists are forced to use the wild animal dominated bush.
The bush is not fenced off because it is communal area.
Roads Authority initially said the first public meeting confirmed the need although some members of the public came out strongly against the public toilets, as demonstrated in short text messages to one of the English daily newspapers.
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Roads Authority, together with the Ministry of Works and Transport, will embark on a second public consultation meeting to solicit public interest, to decide whether to scrap the idea or implement it. The first meeting took place in Windhoek in September last year.
Roads Authority, which is entrusted with information gathering, say they are planning another consultative meeting outside Windhoek. This will be the second consultative meeting since the idea of public toilets along the national road was mooted.
"The idea is not dead, we only have to consult with stakeholders after which a decision would be taken," said spokesperson for Roads Authority, Audrin Mathe.
In September last year, the Minister of Works and Transport, Helmut Angula, proposed the idea to Cabinet, citing the dilemma facing motorists along the country's vast and long tarred roads.
Cabinet instructed his ministry to look into the problem and the result was for Government to seriously consider modern measures that will relieve motorists and passengers when nature calls while travelling along the country's long-distance roads.
The proposal is that ablution facilities of flushable nature, and not the pit latrine type, be constructed along the entire national tarred road network, at intervals of at least 20-kilometre distance.
Attending the first public meeting, although with poor public attendance, were representatives of the tourism industry as well as those from the public transport industry.
The tourism sector was concerned with the safety of tourists, saying criminals could start making use of the facilities to attack tourists.
The other public concern was general maintenance and upkeep of such facilities, with members of the public fearing vandalism, and the practicality of general cleaning and the maintenance of ablution facilities located in the forsaken places.
The public also noted that already, petrol service stations where there are full-time cleaning personnel, battle to keep their toilets clean.
The tourism industry suggested gauging the Association of Service Station Owners to put up more service stations along the national roads instead of concentrating on towns that are far between.
The Ministry of Works and Transport has proposed the use of National Youth Service and small and medium enterprises as contractors to work on the provision and management of public toilets infrastructure on national roads.
Angula had said the absence of ablution facilities along the road put unnecessary discomfort on motorists, especially tourists, who had to drive to the nearest town for decent ablution facilities.
The minister had personally noted the problem when on a drive along the Kamanjab and Opuwo road, which is largely used by tourists, during a visit in 2008.
Angula said the road is 250 km long and with no ablution facilities tourists are forced to use the wild animal dominated bush.
The bush is not fenced off because it is communal area.
Roads Authority initially said the first public meeting confirmed the need although some members of the public came out strongly against the public toilets, as demonstrated in short text messages to one of the English daily newspapers.
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