The United Africans Transformation (UAT) party has expressed deep concern and disappointment over the Government of National Unity's (GNU) repeated failures to ensure the safety and dignity of South African learners.
In a statement released on Thursday, UAT condemned the Department of Basic Education (DBE), led by Minister Siviwe Gwarube, for once again missing its self-imposed deadline of March 31, 2025, to eradicate school pit toilets.
Speaking at Mavhunga Primary School in Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, on Friday, April 4, Gwarube said the DBE had eradicated 96% of pit toilets.
One-hundred and forty-one schools still use pit latrines, most in the Eastern Cape.
“Let us be clear: these are not just toilets. They are symbols of abandonment, danger, and injustice. As of today, many schools across our country still rely on these deadly structures where children are meant to learn, grow, and be safe.
“Instead, many are forced to use latrines that have already claimed young lives and continue to put others at risk every single day,” the UAT statement read.
The UAT highlighted that Minister Gwarube admitted the department fell just “4% short” of its goal.
“But that 4% represents thousands of children — human beings whose lives are being gambled with. No child should ever have to relieve themselves in a pit that could swallow them.
“No family should have to fear that their child won’t come home because of something as basic as a toilet.”
The situation has worsened, with reports that all Department of Basic Education infrastructure projects in KwaZulu-Natal have been put on hold due to unresolved payment issues with the provincial education department.
A letter from the Department of Public Works, dated April 7, 2025, confirmed the suspension of projects, leaving communities in despair.
The UAT emphasised that this is not the first time such promises have been made.
“We’ve heard these promises before — in 2016, in 2018 with the launch of the SAFE initiative, and again in 2020. Deadlines come and go, yet children in poor, rural, and township schools continue to suffer in silence while those in power issue apologies and move on.”
The organisation demands a national audit of every school, the immediate resumption of suspended infrastructure projects, accountability from officials, and transparency regarding budget allocations.
They also encourage the public to report any remaining pit toilets using the Safe Schools App, stating, “Communities must be empowered to speak out and be heard.”
Professor Nadene Petersen, an education expert, echoed the UAT's concerns, stating, “The continued presence of pit toilets in schools, particularly in rural areas, is simply unacceptable.
“We can no longer make excuses. Our children, especially the most vulnerable learners, deserve much better.”
Petersen highlighted the dangers posed by these facilities.
She emphasised the need for proper planning and resource allocation.
“We shouldn’t still be making excuses 30 years after democracy. Specialists and resources are available to eliminate these toilets, but proper oversight is lacking. At what point will we say that our learners deserve better facilities?”
Petersen concluded with a call to action: “It’s deeply disappointing that this conversation has persisted for over 30 years.
“We are teaching our children, our future citizens, that they deserve unsanitary and unsafe treatment, and that is not the message we want to send.”
The UAT and education experts urged immediate action to resolve this critical issue and ensure that all South African children can access safe and dignified learning environments.
Gwarube committed that by July 2025, the department will have a completion rate of over 98% and will be within touching distance of 100% eradication of the Safe Initiative backlog.
The most high-profile cases include:
Michael Komape (2014) – A five-year-old boy who drowned in a pit toilet at Mahlodumela Primary School in Limpopo.
Lumka Mketwa (2018) – A five-year-old girl fell into a pit toilet at Luna Primary School in the Eastern Cape.
Other undocumented cases – Activists and organisations like Section 27 and Equal Education argue that the actual number may be higher due to underreporting in rural areas.
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