BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) is yet to construct 1 331 units of toilets in Iminyela and Mabuthweni suburbs where residents use communal toilets.
Residents face health risks due to lack of sanitation facilities.
Latest council minutes indicated that housing director, Dictor Khumalo, reported that 217 individual toilets were partially completed in Iminyela.
"484 toilets have been done to date in Mabuthweni. A total of 1 331 units were still outstanding from the two suburbs," the minutes read.
Council started constructing toilets in the two suburbs more than seven years ago.
The project is part of efforts by council to improve sanitation for residents who have been using communal toilets with several families having to share one toilet.
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In 2017, at least 279 toilets worth US$119 000 were commissioned.
The toilets were built by council in partnership with Zimbabwe Homeless People’s Federation, Dialogue on Shelter, the National University of Science and Technology and residents.
Indications are that the partner organisations covered 80% of the cost, while residents took care of the remaining 20%.
In June this year, council revealed that it had set aside a budget of US$187 000 to eliminate the shared toilet system in Emabuthweni and Iminyela suburbs.
According to city by-laws, ownership of the houses cannot be transferred to residents until council provides ablution facilities.
Due to years of neglect, some of the communal toilets are in a dilapidated state, with raw sewage flowing into the yards, a situation that exposes residents to waterborne diseases.
Families of up to 10 people share single rooms under conditions residents say are exposing them to diseases.