WPC: Community Plumbing Challenge
student Allistair Holobht, visiting WPC 2016 as part of a
group from False Bay College, Cape Town. “Can’t there
be a better solution? There are lots of toilets like this
where I come from … and when they get broken, they
are broken. The community puts locks on them, but
if they are broken, it seems that they never get fixed.
Nobody bothers to fix them, but I wouldn't mind.”
Following the WPC 2016 showcase, the Diepsloot toilet
units were handed over to Ryan Marsh, plumbing lecturer
at Northlink College and team leader with the CPC
2016 South Africa team. The college will use the units
for training exercises in plumbing courses. Followin g
this, it is intended that the units will be transferred to
Khayelitsha township in collaboration with the Social
Justice Coalition.
The CPC showcase was further enhanced by the
Water, Amenities, and Sanitation Services Upgrading
Programme (Wassup) Cooperative director, Obed
Kekae, and Sticky Situations founder and director,
Jennifer van den Bussche, who provided insight into key
community engagement aspects of the CPC, based on
their experience of hosting the 2016 programme. Their
overview was particularly well received by representatives
of the WPC who are keen on developing the programme
on an international basis in the years ahead.
“I am very happy with how Wassup and our Diepsloot
sanitation programmes have been represented at this
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
23
Obed Kekae and
Sticky Situations
founder and director,
Jennifer van den
Bussche, presenting to
delegates.
Director at the Wassup
Cooperative, Obed
Kekae, presenting to
WPC delegates.
World Plumbing Conference,” said Kekae. “By coming
here we wanted to show the plumbing world how
marginalised areas like ours can be affected by improved
sanitation — it means healthier living. The 2016
Community Plumbing Challenge gave new ideas and
encouragement to help us to move forward.”
Continued on page 24 >>
November 2016 Volume 22 I Number 9