Almost 300 schools in SA still use pit toilets: Report

According to the Basic Education Department report, 287 schools in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape still use pit toilets as their primary sanitation system.

In 2013, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) established public school infrastructure regulations, establishing minimum criteria for necessities like bathrooms, water, electricity, internet connection, libraries, sports facilities and labs.

These regulations aimed to hold education departments accountable and ban inadequate ablution facilities which were unsafe and present in 7 438 schools at the time.

Tragically, several incidents highlighted the urgency of these standards. In 2014, 5-year-old Michael Komape died after falling into a pit toilet and similar incidents occurred in 2017 and 2018.

Despite a 2016 deadline to eradicate pit toilets, development proceeded at a slow pace.

In 2022, proposed amendments by the then Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga suggested removing deadlines for eradicating pit latrines and providing basic services, like water, electricity and classrooms.

This sparked concern, especially after the death of 4-year-old Langalam Viki in a pit latrine in 2023, underscoring the need for safe school infrastructure.

According to the latest Education Facility Management System issued by the government in July 2024, about 1 770 pit toilets remain in use eight years beyond the specified deadline for their eradication.

Following her appointment in June 2024, the new Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube introduced many revisions to the South African National Assembly’s rules to strengthen its power in combating corruption and improving service delivery.

There is a correlation between the quality of school infrastructure and the quality of education students receive. Poor infrastructure such as inadequate facilities and resources negatively impacts the educational experience and outcomes for students.

The existing sanitation backlog within schools in South Africa remains a huge barrier to future quality education for thousands of students.

INFOGRAPHIC | Pit Toilets in schools in South Africa

Graphic by: Sibusiso Biyela