Pit toilets used by pupils at Reahlahlwa Primary School in Limpopo. Picture: SANDILE NDLOVUights Month in SA, many of our rural schools do not have proper water and sanitation infrastructure. They remain dependent on pit latrines due to either inadequate water supplies or lack of proper sanitation infrastructure.
The case of Michael Komape, a five-year-old pupil who drowned in a pit toilet at Mahlodumela Primary School in Chebeng Village, Polokwane, on January 20 2014, has received international media attention. As a result, government was forced to fast-track its plans to eradicate pit latrines in all SA schools, but that still seems a distant dream that is unlikely to be realised in our lifetime.
According to Sibusiso Khasa of Amnesty International SA, there are nearly 3,000 state schools in the country that still have pit toilets. There is clearly no political will to improve the learning and teaching environment in rural schools; the governing ANC assumed control of government 30 years ago, yet we still find so many schools without proper sanitation. There is no more effective way to destroy a country than not to invest in education.
All the money stolen could have addressed this easily. We must accept that our leaders need better cars and houses more than these people need toilets. It is time that we accept things the way they are in SA. To fight for a better life is a waste of time and energy. No one cares.
Breadline Africa is committed to providing safe waterless toilet solutions. We have set aside R7 mil to end this crisis. We need more help to end it for all.
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JvanLogg Made R100,000 in just in a week am short of words Ma'am you are truly a good friend and a honest woman millywebdeve
It’s 2023. Why are we still having this f-ng conversation 😡