Are You Not Properly Disposing of Pit Toilets?

Students at a primary school in a rural KwaZulu-Natal community take pride in their institution being the only one in the vicinity to have flush toilets. This improvement came after an NGO constructed 22 flush toilets, replacing six pit toilets that were used by 700 students for years.

Basic Education Minister aims to eradicate all pit toilets

The Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, has proclaimed that the government is committed to eliminating the remaining pit toilets in schools by next year, substituting them with flush toilets.

During a recent visit to Deda Primary School, where 22 low-cost flush toilets were installed, Gwarube highlighted the initiative. The school is situated in the remote Ozwathini region between oThongathi and Wartburg in KwaZulu-Natal. These toilets utilize collected rainwater and require only 2 litres of water per flush.

The NGO Breadline Africa funded the construction of these flush toilets at a cost nearing R1-million. Previously, students at the school were reliant on pit toilets that posed health and safety hazards. Notably, since the installation of flush toilets, students are more enthusiastic about attending school.

Government progress update

According to Gwarube, the government has successfully removed approximately 92% of the pit toilet backlog across around 4,000 schools nationwide.

Despite this progress, many schools and households, especially in deep rural regions, still rely on pit toilets.

Gwarube mentioned that the government will introduce a monitoring tool in the coming weeks to track the progress of eliminating pit toilets in schools.

“It’s insufficient to merely claim that a backlog has been cleared. Continuous oversight of infrastructure is imperative.”
Siviwe Gwarube, Minister of Basic Education

She underscored the necessity of having real-time data on the state of pit toilets in schools. Continuous monitoring will be crucial once the current backlog is addressed.

Collaborating government departments

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson stated that his department will collaborate with the Department of Basic Education. They will also engage with other government entities, the private sector, and civil society to optimize the allocation of funds for toilet construction.

He emphasized the significant role of the private sector in assisting the government in addressing this issue.

“Our department is fully committed to partnering with the Department of Basic Education to eradicate pit toilets once and for all from our environment.”
Minister Dean Macpherson

Do you think the government will eliminate pit toilets from schools soon?

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