REFILWE, Cullinan — In a major step forward for sustainable sanitation, the Department of Human Settlements, in partnership with Amalooloo, has handed over innovative MyLoo Dry Sanitation Units to residents of the Marikana informal settlement in Refilwe, Cullinan. The initiative, launched in the spirit of Madiba, aims to replace unhygienic communal facilities with safe, dignified, and waterless off-grid toilets.
The rollout addresses deepening water and sanitation challenges that have left many residents trapped between a rock and a hard place. A 58-year-old resident highlighted the severe health risks of the previous setup, noting that she contracted an infection from communal chemical toilets last December. To protect her health, she had resorted to using a private pit toilet, though many others in the community remain with no choice but to risk their health and dignity in shared facilities.
The MyLoo Dry Sanitation Units offer a transformative interim solution while broader infrastructure upgrades are pending. A spokesperson for Amalooloo explained that the company specializes in dry sanitation technology tailored specifically for water-scarce regions lacking basic infrastructure.
“In the MyLoo dry sanitation system, we separate solids and liquids,” the Amalooloo spokesperson noted. “That gives us a lot of longevity and sustainability long-term, and we can also reuse all those nutrients for fertilizers and biochars as well.”
These waterless toilets are already being rolled out nationally to combat inadequate sanitation infrastructure. A government representative praised the initiative, stating that Amalooloo’s innovation directly speaks to resilience and the climate change challenges facing the country.
Emphasizing that private partnerships are essential to continue building a capable state, the representative commended the company as a world leader in technology. “It is great that they have an all-inclusive solution,” the representative stated, highlighting the system’s comprehensive design, which recycles all waste and incorporates rainwater collection.
While acknowledging that mass rollout remains a complex challenge, officials stressed that the technology has a vital place in modern infrastructure planning. Honoring the annual Madiba Day celebrations, this initiative is designed to be more than just charity. It actively changes the lives of the most vulnerable populations, including individuals living with disabilities, ensuring they gain access to dignified facilities while simultaneously protecting the environment.
