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By Johnathan Paoli
On the eve of World Toilet Day, government departments have come together to highlight the urgent need to eradicate unsafe pit toilets in South African schools, saying they are on course to reach their March 2025 deadline.
Around 200 pit toilets need to be eliminated.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube and Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson were in Ozwathini in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday to unveil upgraded ablution facilities at Deda Primary School, which has around 600 learners.
“Today, as we handover the upgraded toilets for learners and teachers, we are moving closer towards eradicating the identified pit toilets backlog,” she said.
The project was made possible through a public-private partnership, with the minster thanking Breadline Africa, Glencore, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and Easy Equities for assisting in the restoration of the toilets.
She underscored the human rights dimension of sanitation, calling it a moral imperative to ensure every learner’s safety and dignity.
Acknowledging the tragic consequences of unsafe sanitation, Gwarube reaffirmed her department’s commitment to closing the chapter on pit toilets.
She emphasised that this effort went beyond compliance; it symbolised the nation’s care for learners’ health, safety and dignity.
Gwarube said the government was committed to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 6, which sought universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030 and stressed the urgency of addressing this issue now, recognising that children deserved safe facilities today.
She also pledged to oversee the work of infrastructure implementing agents through site visits and project reviews, and addressing delays or challenges swiftly.
“Appropriate sanitation isn’t just a safety issue, it’s about restoring dignity for both learners and staff at the school,” she said.
Gwarube reiterated the need for public-private partnerships to build an education system that safeguarded learners’ wellbeing and dignity.
Meanwhile, Macpherson said he appreciated the cooperation of the two departments, saying it was indicative of the benefits of a coalition government.
“As the Government of National Unity, we are committed to eradicating pit toilets in schools nationwide, and by working with the private sector, we are confident we can achieve this goal.
“And as the department, we will be sharing our expertise to assist minister Gwarube in eliminating pit toilets in schools. By working together, we are building a better South Africa,” Macpherson said.
School principal Emmanuel Dlamini raised the importance of hygiene and safety in the learning environment.
“As a school we need to ensure that our learners are safe and not getting infections or any diseases from the toilets and also protected from dangerous physical structures,” Dlamini said
Breadline Africa CEO Marion Wagner said the upgrade to the sanitation facilities involved replacing unsafe pit toilets with modern, eco-friendly solutions.
The project included retrofitting existing structures with low-flush toilets and waterless urinals, constructing 10 new concrete toilet blocks and installing 22 toilets and 8 urinals.
Safety enhancements included 1.8m precast screen walls, secured plumbing, handwashing stations with 2,700l and 500l tanks and a modular septic system, supported by a five-year maintenance plan.
The project cost R943,174.
Improving the safety and quality of schooling environments is among Gwarube’s five priorities.
INSIDE EDUCATION