Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube, accompanied by Eastern Cape MEC Fundile Gade, formally handed over newly built toilets at two schools on Thursday as part of her drive to eliminate unsafe pit toilets around the country by March 31.
The toilets were opened at Ntlukuhla Junior Secondary School in Bhaziya, outside Mthatha, and Nombizo Junior Secondary School in Tsolo.
Later, Gwarube and Gade went to inspect progress of the construction of toilets at Emarhambeni Junior Secondary School in Qumbu.
This is part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) project.
SAFE was launched after five-year-old grade R pupil Lumka Mkethwa’s body was found in a pit latrine at her school in Mbizana more than five years ago.
Ramaphosa gave the department until March 31 to eradicate unsafe sanitation in schools.
Gwarube said in the first week of April she would be able to give feedback to the country on the status of the project, once all the data had been collected from the provinces.
“Regardless of what we get from the provinces, we will make sure that pit latrine toilets are eradicated.
“If some are incomplete by the end of the current financial year, we will indicate when exactly they will be completed.”
She said proper sanitation was not only about safety but also about teacher and pupils’ dignity.
“It is good for me to see the good progress that the Eastern Cape department is making in eradicating pit toilets and unsafe infrastructure in our schools.”
The pit latrine elimination project faced multiple challenges, including a scarcity of water.
She applauded Gade for working hard to ensure that school environments were good and safe.
“Historically, the province has always struggled with infrastructure issues and there were over 200 pit toilets in this district alone.
“But the MEC and his team have cleared not less than 170 of them, this is really good progress.”
Gwarube said the visit underscored her department’s commitment to upholding the right of every child to a safe learning environment.
Earlier, she said the department had replaced 93% of identified pit toilets at state schools around the country.
In September 2024, Gwarube said 259 sanitation projects needed to be completed by March 31.
“The progress made thus far reflects the collaborative efforts of national and provincial education departments, the private sector and development partners who have played a crucial role in fast-tracking the delivery of safer toilets.”
Gwarube would visit the Eastern Cape and Limpopo — the two provinces most affected by the legacy of unsafe sanitation infrastructure — for first-hand monitoring of the final phase of implementation.
She would also directly engage with communities, school leadership and implementing agents.
Gade said without the minister’s intervention, “I don’t think we would be where we are now”.
“The infrastructure budget we receive does not accommodate our backlogs. We are behind by R72bn in terms of Eastern Cape infrastructure.
“But that is not insurmountable because the government education system is undergoing a restructuring process.
“I am happy that at least the strategic issues like human rights and pit latrines are being robustly dealt with.
“We are now at 94% in eradicating pit latrines. The small remaining percentage could overlap beyond March.
“But the minister will give clarity on what must be done.”
Daily Dispatch