JMPD has issued a warning to people urinating in public, saying those caught could face fines, arrest and even criminal prosecution. It’s a problem we see in many of our cities — on pavements, next to buildings, around transport hubs and in other public spaces. But beyond the embarrassment, the smell and the frustration of seeing someone relieve themselves in public, perhaps there’s a more uncomfortable conversation we need to have. What does our willingness to urinate in a public space say about our sense of right and wrong? Is it simply a practical decision by someone who needs a toilet and cannot find one? Is it a failure by municipalities to provide enough clean, accessible public facilities? Or, in some cases, is it a question of morality — of whether we still feel a responsibility to respect spaces that belong to all of us? Because perhaps the real issue isn't just whether someone
breaks a by-law. It's whether we have reached a point where we only do the right thing when we know someone is watching. And if the answer is yes, can a fine or a CCTV camera really change our behaviour — or does meaningful change have to come from something deeper? We’re reflecting on public urination, personal responsibility, dignity and the moral choices we make in shared spaces with
Dalu Cele, Founder and CEO of Clean City SA.