Minister Gwarube Announces Drastic Reduction of Pit Toilets in State Schools by 96%

Johannesburg – While the deadline for eliminating pit latrines in state schools may have passed, the Department of Basic Education has announced that it is close to achieving this goal.

Monday, (31 March 2025), marked the national deadline set by the Department of Basic Education for the eradication of pit toilets.

Today, Friday, (4 April 2025), Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube revealed that her department has “successfully eliminated 96% of the pit toilets identified in the 2018 audit as part of the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative.”

During a national event in Limpopo, the Minister credited this achievement to decisive government actions, steadfast commitment, and robust partnerships.

“In 2018, the government pinpointed 3,372 schools with hazardous pit toilets. As of today, only 141 of those remain,” Minister Gwarube stated.

“Although this represents considerable progress, it is not a triumph until every learner has access to safe and dignified sanitation.”

Progress Across Provinces

The Minister highlighted the progress made in various provinces, noting that Gauteng, the Western Cape, and the Northern Cape had no schools flagged in the 2018 audit.

Other provinces achieved the following milestones:

• North West, Free State, and Mpumalanga – 100% eradication.
• Limpopo – 99.74% eradication (with 390 out of 391 schools completed).
• KwaZulu-Natal – 96.4% eradication (1,209 out of 1,254 schools completed).
• Eastern Cape – 93.3% eradication (1,343 out of 1,439 schools completed).

Minister Gwarube assured the public that steps are being taken to complete the remaining 141 schools, with 90 expected to be completed by July 2025, enhancing the eradication rate to over 98%.

Challenges and Corrective Actions

The Minister acknowledged delays in projects funded by donors, with only 74% of commitments fulfilled.

To address these challenges, the stalled donor projects will be handed over to provincial education departments for closer supervision.

Other factors contributing to delays included severe weather, impassable rural roads, disruptions from construction groups, and inadequate contractor performance.

Minister Gwarube stated that the department is taking firm action, including terminating underperforming contractors and reinforcing security at project sites.

A New Audit and Community Engagement: Recognizing that some schools may have been overlooked in the 2018 audit, the Department of Basic Education will initiate a new national sanitation audit.

The public has also been urged to report any remaining pit toilets via the Safe Schools App (safeschools.gov.za), which has thus far received 166 reports.

Ensuring Long-Term Maintenance

• The Minister emphasized that the upkeep of newly constructed facilities is crucial.

• The Department has introduced rigorous sanitation management guidelines, including:

• Allocating infrastructure maintenance budgets specifically within Provincial Education Departments.

• Enhancing oversight by district officials, school principals, and School Governing Bodies (SGBs).

• Expanding the National School Hygiene Programme (NSHP) in collaboration with Unilever, UNICEF, and GIZ.

Commitment to 100% Eradication

“This government must aspire to dream bigger, act more swiftly, and tackle problems that were once deemed insurmountable. Despite our remarkable progress, our work continues,” Minister Gwarube concluded.

The Minister reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to ensuring that no child in South Africa ever has to use unsafe sanitation again.

However, GOOD Party National Youth Chairperson Kaden Arguile expressed dissatisfaction, stating: “The deadline for eliminating pit latrines in South African schools has come and gone.”

Arguile continued: “This commitment made by Minister of Education Siviwe Gwarube has not succeeded – just as it did under her predecessor, Angie Motshekga.

“The promise to eradicate pit latrines remains unfulfilled, with South Africa still at a 96% eradication rate.”

Arguile argued that the remaining 4% highlights the fact that achieving 100% eradication is an elusive target, especially without accurate and up-to-date data.

“In fact, the Minister herself acknowledged today in Limpopo that even if the 100% mark is reached, pit toilets will still exist,” said Arguile.

“As GOOD, we demand that this goal be prioritized through a nationwide audit of pit latrines in schools. No such audit has been undertaken since 2018.”

“One significant barrier to complete eradication has been the discovery of schools and educational facilities that were previously unaccounted for.”

Arguile stated that this has necessitated additional funding, planning, and time – all of which have further delayed progress.

“The children in these unknown facilities equally deserve basic dignity and sanitary conditions, yet government oversight has failed them.”

According to an investigation by Ground Up in Vhembe, Limpopo, where the Minister visited today, one school still relies on six unsanitary pit latrines to serve its 900 learners.

“Until such harsh realities are fully recognized by the Department of Education, children in these conditions will continue to have their basic dignity denied,” Arguile asserted.

“GOOD cannot remain passive while this injustice continues.

“As the targets keep being shifted and small achievements are blown out of proportion, tens of thousands of children are being denied their right to basic dignity and sanitary education.

“The time for educational justice is now. We must confront the gravity of this crisis and take appropriate actions without delay.”