DA lays SAHRC complaint for inhumane conditions of school toilets in Soweto

10 March 2015

Yesterday I visited schools in Gauteng with DA Shadow MEC of Education in Gauteng, Khume Ramulifho MPL, following reports in the Sowetan late last week exposing the inhumane conditions of toilets in schools in and around Johannesburg.

We visited a portion of the schools listed in the Sowetan investigation and found them to be below national norms and standards. 

While we were not able to get to all the schools listed in the investigation, we are satisfied that from what we saw, and what was exposed in the Sowetan investigation, that the state of facilities at many schools in Gauteng indeed rises to the level of assault on the human dignity and the rights of the learners.

In reports last week, the Gauteng Department of Education absolved itself of all responsibility regarding the deplorable state of these ablution facilities at these schools and sought to allocate blame to other parties responsible for the upkeep of these toilets. 

This attitude by the provincial department is unacceptable. It is the department's responsibility to step in and remedy the situation and not to simply throw its hands up in the air and say "not our problem" while learners in Gauteng are forced to use toilets that compromise their health and dignity.

Given the state of these ablution facilities as exposed in the Sowetan the DA will lay a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) regarding the shocking state of toilets at these schools.

Some of the problems plaguing school sanitation infrastructure in Gauteng schools are:

Blocked and overflowing toilets and urinals;

Lack of soap, toilet paper, sanitary bins and working taps;

No doors on some toilet cubicles, offering no privacy; and

Putrid smells and generally filthy toilets.

Section 12 part 1 of the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure stipulates that "All schools must have a sufficient number of sanitation facilities, [...] that are easily accessible to all learners and educators, provide privacy and security, promote health and hygiene standards, comply with all relevant laws and are maintained in good working order."

Clearly these norms and standards have not been adhered to.  

Statement issued by Desiree van der Walt MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Basic Education, March 10 2015

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