Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
20 November 2024 | 13:36 CAT
1-minute read

Image: WaterCAN

On April 18, 2024, 3-year-old Unecebo Mboteni, died after falling into a pit latrine at his creche in Mdantsane, East London.

In the third week of March 2023, Langalam Viki, a 4-year-old girl, died after falling into a pit latrine at her pre-school in the Eastern Cape.

On 20 January 2014, 5-year-old Michael Kompe drowned after falling into the pit latrine at his school in Limpopo.

“How many lives need to be lost?” WaterCAN’s executive manager Dr Ferrial Adam asks, highlighting the urgent need for intervention to do away with pit latrines and provide adequate sanitation facilities in schools.

Dr Adam emphasised the responsibility that the South African government has to provide dignified and safe sanitation for school learners and expressed hope that the promises made by the Department of Basic Education and Public Works to eliminate pit latrines will be fulfilled this time.

“We’ve had similar statements last year, where they said they’re going to take out pit latrines by March 2024- this year- and we still have them in our schools. Let’s see if this is going to happen by next year, 2025. The fact that we still have pit latrines in our schools in this day and age is quite sad,” Dr Adam said.

The lack of political will, the scale of the problem, corruption, and the fact that it is not prioritised because it mainly affects those in rural areas, have all contributed to the delay in addressing the crisis. However, the formation of the new GNU has renewed hopes for stricter checks and balances in tackling corruption and accelerating infrastructure projects.

Listen to the full interview on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.