Angie Motshekga convenes urgent meeting to discuss school infrastructure

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Monday called for an urgent meeting with provincial MECs of education and heads of departments to discuss school infrastructure and find ways of accelerating the eradication of unsafe ablution facilities.

This follows the death of a five-year-old who fell into a pit toilet at the Luna Primary School in Bizana‚ Eastern Cape. The body of Lumka Mkhethwa, also known as Viwe Jali, was found on Tuesday inside the latrine a day after an extensive search by residents and police with sniffer dogs.

A similar incident happened at a school outside Polokwane in 2014 where five-year-old Michael Komape drowned in a pit toilet.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday that he was “appalled and saddened” by Mkhethwa’s death.

Ramaphosa then 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‚ as an emergency interim measure while rolling out proper infrastructure‚ within three months.

Motshekga’s urgent council of education ministers will discuss addressing school infrastructure holistically in-line with this directive from Ramaphosa.

In a statement, Motshekga said she had received a report from the District Education office in the Eastern Cape following Mkhethwa’s tragic death. She said that she was “deeply saddened and regrets the tragic loss” of such a precious life in such horrendous circumstances.

“It has always been the view and the position of the Minister that safe and decent facilities, which include sanitation, do not only provide a conducive environment for teaching and learning, but are fundamental to the dignity and human rights of both learners and teachers.

“In view of the fact that maintenance and construction of infrastructure is constitutionally a Provincial Government competency, the Minister is calling for an urgent meeting with Provincial Education Departments to determine the best way to support, and work with provinces to ensure President Ramphosa’s directive is addressed.”

Motshekga said that the department will begin by conducting an audit of sanitation facilities at schools within a month and develop an emergency plan which will be sent to President Ramaphosa and the National Treasury for consideration.

– African News Agency (ANA)