Poor sanitation threatens pupils’ health
Hundreds of people living in informal settlements across Tembisa do not have access to improved sanitation facilities.
Some are using pit toilets while others use portable toilets.
This situation is also affecting pupils in some schools in Tembisa, where they are forced to queue for a toilet, missing their classes.
Co-Head of Equal Education, Mr Tshepo Motsepe, said they conducted an informal survey at 11 high schools in Tembisa and found that nearly 90 percent of the schools surveyed have a sanitation system with insufficient infrastructure or a dysfunctional sanitation system.
“Since July this year, we had meetings with pupils around Tembisa, discussing the issues affecting them. They identified sanitation as the biggest problem in their schools. No pupils reported having regular access to toilet paper or soap in their toilets. Some do not have sanitary bins, or if they do, the sanitary bins are often full, resulting in pupils throwing their sanitary pads on the floor,” said Mr Motsepe.
He added that many schools have broken or non-functioning taps and sometimes there is no water supply.
“We corresponded repeatedly with the Ekurhuleni North District and Gauteng Education MEC on this matter. The MEC promised to meet with us on November 26,” he added.
Grade 10 pupils at Masisebenze Comprehensive School, twins Pretty and Precious Mvelase (17), said they have 20 toilets for girls in their schooland only 14 are working properly.
“Others are blocked. We are queuing in order to use a toilet as there are too many people. The blocked toilets smell terriblyand we get sick quickly. We have 10 basins but only one is working. We also suffer severe headaches because of the stink and the bathroom is infested with flies,” said Pretty.
Meanwhile her twin sister, Precious, said she does not use the school toilets at all.
“I am get infections easily. When I am at school I do not drink liquids because I will have to use the toilets. At home, I cannot tolerate the smell of onions, so one can imagine the smell of a dirty, blocked toilet. It is worse. Sanitation is dignity. So this tells me we lost our dignity,” she said.
