End of killer pit toilets in sight

Six years after the launch of a campaign to eliminate pit toilets at schools across South Africa, the end of this archaic system is now in sight, as less than 250 institutions are still functioning with these long drop facilities.

That number has come down from more than 4 707 when the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (Safe) initiative was kicked off by President Cyril Ramaphosa in August 2018.

Action was sparked by reports of children drowning in these pit toilets, like Michael Komape in Limpopo in 2014. Since then, the tragedies have continued around the country, with the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal the worst provinces.

While it is to be acknowledged that progress has been made in reducing the dangers to children – but also in providing them with running water toilet facilities which are far less degrading – we have to ask: why should we praise a fish for swimming?

The ANC took office in 1994 promising a better life for all the people of South Africa and, at least as far as the pit toilet issue goes, they couldn’t really be bothered until the death of Michael Komape.

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Pit toilets would have been eradicated long ago, of course, were it not for the fact that there never seemed enough money to go around. Indeed, the Safe campaign was backed by private companies.

And we all know the reason the financial cupboard was bare, especially in some of our basket-case provinces – the comrades needed to eat. And they had large appetites.

Having said that, though, the elimination of these long drops is good news for the country as a whole.

It proves that problems can be fixed, messes can be cleaned up and that we don’t have to resign ourselves to perpetually living with failure.

Now, let’s get to work on the other problem areas of our society.

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