Midrand: President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for school sanitation to be treated as a matter of life and death, urging authorities to prioritise the eradication of unsafe facilities.
Speaking at the Water Indaba in Midrand on Thursday, Ramaphosa expressed concern over the slow progress in addressing sanitation challenges in schools, particularly the continued use of pit latrines, which pose serious health and safety risks to children.
“It has taken far too long to resolve sanitation issues when the lives of our children are at stake,” Ramaphosa said.
His remarks come as the Department of Basic Education faces an imminent deadline to eradicate pit latrines at schools across the country by 31 March—a commitment made following years of criticism over inadequate sanitation in rural and underserved communities.
The president emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “The lives of our children need to be saved.”
A Persistent Crisis
The government has faced ongoing pressure from civil society groups and human rights organizations to accelerate efforts to replace unsafe and unsanitary pit latrines with modern and hygienic facilities. Tragic incidents, including the death of young children who fell into pit toilets, have underscored the life-threatening nature of the issue.
While progress has been made, reports indicate that hundreds of schools—particularly in rural provinces—still rely on dangerous and outdated toilet facilities.
Ramaphosa’s public intervention adds pressure on the basic education department to fulfill its promise and ensure that no child is forced to use unsafe sanitation in schools.
Government Commitment
The Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative, launched by Ramaphosa in 2018, aimed to eliminate pit latrines through a collaboration between government, private sector, and non-profits. Despite these efforts, progress has been slower than anticipated, raising concerns about implementation delays and funding shortfalls.
As the March 31 deadline approaches, public scrutiny remains high, with activists and community leaders calling for accountability and timely delivery of safe sanitation in all schools.