96% of school pit toilets eliminated since 2018

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The Department of Basic Education issued a statement on 4 April 2025, announcing the successful elimination of 96% of pit toilets found in the 2018 audit under the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative. In 2018, President Cyril Ramaphosa established the SAFE initiative to restore the dignity of education and improve school sanitation across all provinces. According to Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, “Out of the 3 372 schools with unsafe pit toilets identified by the government in 2018, only 141 remain to date. There is a need for safe and dignified sanitation for every learner.”

Final steps toward fulfilment

The minister has made steady progress toward her promise to eradicate all school pit toilets in South Africa. In commemoration of World Toilet Day (19 November), Gwarube wrote an opinion piece to The Daily Maverick on 18 November 2024, vowing to close all pit toilets in schools by 31 March 2025.

She wrote, “Pit toilets in schools pose a great risk to the lives of school children. The tragic stories of children dying or suffering in such conditions serve as a reminder that access to safe sanitation is not just a right, but a matter of life and death.”

In addition, Gwarube acknowledged that the past cannot be changed. She committed to closing school pit toilets and providing safe, dignified sanitation facilities for all students and teachers. The minister believes this is a personal priority and a moral obligation for the nation. Gwarube emphasised that while national progress is significant, provincial efforts have varied.

Progress by province

The minister highlighted the progress by provinces, noting Western Cape, Gauteng and Northern Cape had no schools identified in the 2018 audit, while other provinces achieved the following:

100% eradication in Free State, North West and Mpumalanga. 99.74% eradication (390 of 391 schools completed) in Limpopo. 96.4% eradication (1 209 of 1 254 schools completed) in KwaZulu-Natal. As well as 93.3% eradication (1 343 of 1 439 schools completed) in Eastern Cape province.

Although the initial target was March 2025, the department now aims to complete the final 141 schools by July 2025. The public is also urged to report any remaining pit toilets via the Safe Schools App. To date, 166 reports have already been received.

Measures implemented to ensure long-term maintenance

The minister also emphasised the importance of maintaining newly constructed facilities. She further noted the enforcement of strict sanitation management guidelinesand ring-fencing infrastructure maintenance budgets within Provincial Education Departments. This aims to improve school hygiene through increased oversight by school principals, the school governing bodies, and district officials. The project remains committed to full eradication. Minister Gwarube reiterated the department’s commitment to eradicate unsafe sanitation for all South African children.