Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced that all 3,372 schools identified in the 2018 Sanitation Appropriate for Education audit now have safe sanitation facilities. The development marks the end of the pit toilet backlog targeted by the initiative.
Siviwe Gwarube, South Africa’s Minister of Basic Education, stated this week that the national Sanitation Appropriate for Education initiative has eliminated unsafe pit toilets at every school flagged in the 2018 audit. She noted that more than three million pupils and over 48,000 teachers now have access to modern facilities.
The minister credited sustained implementation and cooperation across government levels for completing the work despite challenges in remote areas. She highlighted the memory of children including Michael Komape, Lumka Mkhethwa and Langalam Viki, whose deaths had prompted national action on school sanitation.
Gwarube also pointed to remaining tasks, including schools missed in the original survey and a broader infrastructure backlog exceeding R120-billion. Provincial departments will address any new or ongoing sanitation risks with continued national support.