Over 100,000 Pupils in Eastern Cape Still Using Pit Toilets, Facing Health Risks
Over 100,000 pupils in the Eastern Cape continue to endure unsanitary and life-threatening conditions as the provincial education department struggles to eliminate pit toilets in schools. According to Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade, 113,041 pupils at 427 schools are still reliant on pit toilets, with plans to eradicate these facilities at just 75 schools in the current financial year. This ongoing issue is compounded by a lack of proper infrastructure and facilities at many schools across the province.
A report from the Public Protector highlighted that the absence of basic infrastructure, including proper sanitation facilities, threatens the delivery of quality education. It called for a comprehensive audit and a long-term plan to address these challenges. The situation is especially dire at primary schools, where pit toilets are not only unhygienic but dangerous, with young children at risk of falling into the pits due to improperly sized seats.
In some rural areas, pupils are forced to use nearby bushes due to the absence of toilets, leaving them vulnerable. At Mampondo Primary School near Flagstaff, for example, eight teachers share just two pit toilets with 135 pupils. The situation is similarly dire at Gcina Senior Primary School in Cofimvaba, where students have to relieve themselves in an open field after the school’s pit toilets, built by parents, were abandoned by a contractor two years ago.
Local leaders are speaking out about the risks. DA MPL Horatio Hendricks emphasized that pit toilets are “death traps,” with many pupils exposed to significant health hazards from overflowing and unsanitary conditions. The lack of sufficient funding for repairs further exacerbates the issue, making it difficult for schools to maintain the facilities. “The education department clearly lacks the internal capacity to manage infrastructure projects effectively,” Hendricks said.
Provincial Education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima acknowledged the problems at Mampondo Primary, explaining that the school is not on the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) school list. He assured that the department would investigate the contractor’s abandonment of the project and revealed that a donor has assessed the school with plans to provide new toilets. However, the situation remains critical, with many schools across the province still in urgent need of basic sanitation infrastructure.
