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Despite delays campaign to eradicate pit toilets at schools in Limpopo continues
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Pretoria - Section27’s court case to fight for the eradication of pit toilets in Limpopo schools, which was originally set down to be heard by the high court of South Africa (Limpopo Division) today, has been postponed.
Section27, who are launching this urgent application, said the judge who was due to hear the matter was unavailable.
“We are awaiting an alternative court hearing date from the high court in Polokwane. Given the seriousness of the matter, and because learners’ rights are at stake, we are requesting a preferential date,” Julia Chaskalson of Section27 said.
Julia Chaskalson is a communications officer at public interest law centre Section27.
The Department of Basic Education (Department of Basic Education) and the Limpopo Department of Education (Limpopo Department of Education) have both repeatedly claimed that the eradication of pit toilets in schools is an urgent priority. MEC Polly Boshielo’s inaugural budget speech in July 2019 even went so far as to promise that “[t]here will be no talk of pit latrines in the next financial year”.
Evidence suggests, however, that this is far from the truth and that pit toilets continue to persist at Limpopo schools. When you look at the data about the number of schools with pit toilets in the province, and the rate at which appropriate sanitation is actually being delivered, this promise (like many others before it) seems as flimsy as toilet paper.