What the toilet says about society

I WONDER if, as adults, we monitor the number of times we use the toilet, especially for the number two business, as much as we do with our children? I want us to talk about our relationship with toilets, particularly with those who find toilets, or perhaps any mention of them, somewhat distasteful.

- LEBOGANG MASEKO

My sister and I were talking the other day about what it means to raise children in South Africa’s current economic climate. She laughed so hard when I told her that beyond the rising costs of living, what truly tested me as a first-time mom was changing nappies.

I am assured that anyone who has raised a baby knows the unspoken science of monitoring stool colour, texture and frequency. It’s not glamorous, but it’s necessary because one minute you are holding your breath, the next you're diagnosing a diet deficiency. Yet most of us have done this without even blinking twice.

In that messy reality lies an overlooked truth, and that is, sanitation is not just about cleanliness, it's about care, dignity and survival.