It’s no secret that last year’s burn saw the toilet situation turn into a shitshow (literally) and we all felt it (physically), so over the last few months the team behind our event has taken drastic steps to change the status quo.
This year you’ll see some brand-new thrones pop up in and around Tankwa Town. No more portaloos and no more long drops. We’re trying to pay less money to service providers who can disappoint us and dig fewer holes in the Tankwa earth. We’re trying to use no chemicals and have (way!) fewer flies. We’re taking steps in the right direction and we want YOU, the participant and Tankwa Towner to understand and to help us make it all better.

 
So what’s happened?
Well, if you keep an eye on our social media you would have seen a few sneak peaks of the new thrones (made from mostly recycled and repurposed materials). We tested them at Streetopia, in our old Nansen Street yard and at Origin this January- so you may have even test driven one already. 
We’ve been working closely with a sanitation engineer to develop 192 Throne units and 12 4-pisser Urinals for Working Title and beyond 9and yes, there will be roll-in units for the lesser-abled). But working title it is, and therefore, this year my crew – Tankwa Town’s very own Department of Public Works, those dusty rough around the edges kids that build your town and service your toilets (and beg for your leftover beer and smokes upon exodus) – will be working closely with the service provider team to learn and teach and develop the systems for these loos going forward.

 
Every morning during the burn week DPW will do their customary “toilet runs” (feed us breakfast and cocktails when you see us roll pass, please!!) alongside the toilet technicians that will be mentoring our crew. They’ll teach us about the organic mix of fruit oils and active micro-organisms, we’ll teach them about LNT and white snakes in the bushline (put the toilet paper back in the bucket!!) and together we’ll restock the TP and hand sanitiser etc etc.
We don’t expect there to be a big need for “the honeysucker” (what a name!) because these loos have a combined capacity of over 200 000 litres – but if some of the high-use banks need pumping, the technicians will take care of that.
So, look out for Mad Max-looking vehicles towing trailers full of toilet paper and people in yellow t-shirts – and be sure to show us some love as we go by. Bacon’s welcome, as are non-meat-based breakfast products.
Also remember

• keeping the toilets clean is the responsibility of every person who uses them – try leave it better than you found it
• these toilets are a great blank canvas and you are encouraged to “pimp” them with colour and paint and whatever (non-moopy) fun things you can think of.
• But please remove your pimping before you leave, we’ve got 200 units to pack down for the first time, that is testing enough without fabric and bunting and plastic flowers getting in the way.
• If it didn’t come out of your body it doesn’t go in the potty (except of cause toilet paper).

Questions? Want to help out? Join a toilet run? Mail us: [email protected]
 
Want the latest update on our Thrones, Urinals and toilets in general? Click over this way to read our 2018 Toilet lead’s latest.
 

 
More toilet history and reading? Right here:
– Let’s Talk Toilets
– GI Complaints at AfrikaBurn 2017
– New Loos with A View