Non Profit Organisation, Equal Education in the Eastern Cape has expressed anger at the death of a Grade R learner who fell into a pit latrine toilet in Mbizana early this week.
Lumka Mketwa, aged five will be buried at her home in Luna village on Saturday.
Equal Education says the Education Department has been dragging its feet in addressing infrastructure problems in schools, prompting it to approach the Bhisho High Court this week.
Provincial chairperson, Luzuko Sidimba says had the Department prioritised these issues, Lumka would still be alive.
“The Department of Education should take full responsibility of what happened, because this is something we’ve been talking about, and are putting pressure on them to build schools… putting pressure on them to provide adequate sanitation and toilets. Clearly, in this case toilets were not safe -hence the learner fell and died,” says Sidimba.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa says he has now had a discussion with Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga about the need for safe infrastructure, especially ablution facilities at schools.
The President says he’s saddened and appalled by the death of Mketwa.
He has directed Motshekga to conduct an audit of all learning facilities with unsafe structures, especially unsafe ablution facilities, within a month and to present him with a plan to rectify the challenges within three months.
Presidential Spokesperson Khusela Diko says, “The President was outraged by what he called a senseless death of young Viwe Jali. He had a discussion with Motshekga to present a plan to ensure that we do not lose young person in this way.”
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