More than 500 schools still using pit toilets in Limpopo

The Limpopo Education Department has conceded that more than 500 schools in the province are still using pit toilets. The department’s head Beauty Mutheiwana, however, says they have managed to build safer toilets since the death of five-year-old Michael Komape, who fell in a school pit toilet five years ago.

The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Wednesday awarded Komape’s family R1.4  million in compensation.

Mutheiwana says the construction of new toilets at 215 schools is expected to start next month.

“I can safely confirm that we have got about 515 schools that still have got pit latrine toilets. But what is good about this issue is that out of 515, the province has already advertised 215, which is currently under evaluation and we hope by January the appointed service provider will start with the actual construction and also let me indicate that 300 are going to be implemented by national as part of the President’s program.”