WATCH | Soweto Hostel Horror: Kids' lives at risk

WATER and sanitation issues are a major concern for hostel dwellers.

Lack of drainage systems has created an unbearable stench at the Diepkloof Hostel in Soweto. Entering the hostel, one's met with rubble located just next to the tap, and water flowing all over the streets due to the lack of drainage systems.

Children are exposed to an unhygienic environment, with rubble dumped all over the place. Stagnant water causing mosquitoes, which lead to diarrhoea, is a daily reality for the hostel dwellers.

There are no playgrounds, which causes the kids to play with the stagnant water, thereby threatening their health. When Daily Sun visited the hostel, kids were found playing with dirty water while not wearing shoes.

Speaking to Daily Sun, a resident, Ntombikayise Ndawonde, who has been living in the hostel for 20 years, said they only had access to water in 2023.

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"We are struggling. In this day and age, we still don't have decent toilets. We are using a bucket system which is unbearable. Even at night, we are forced to utilise the very toilets we don't feel safe using. Our place's stinky. Our kids play with dirty water. We need playgrounds," she said.

Before residents had water taps in the middle of their units, they had to walk a distance to access the one tap which was made available for all residents to use.

"At least we can now wash our clothes," said Ntombikayise. However, residents stressed that they're not happy with how they're forced to use the toilet bucket system. They complained that they have, in many cases, found babies dumped inside their toilets, which has left them traumatised.

"We often find newborn babies inside these toilets. People come from wherever and then dump their babies inside our toilets. This is very traumatic. This has also given our hostel a bad name. Now there's a stigma that hostel ladies go around dumping newborn babies inside toilets.

"As a parent, it's very painful to witness such things. But we are grateful that we can see some change coming through," she said.

Residents said that their wish is to have drainage systems, decent houses, decent toilets, and playgrounds for their kids.