Squalid state of toilets at Mpumalanga school shroud learners in indignity

MBOMBELA - For children attending Mayibuye Secondary School in Pienaar Ka Daantjie, the simple act of relieving themselves continues to be shrouded in indignity as a result of the squalid state of their toilets, which are barely a step up from the deadly pit latrines government’s promised, but so far, failed to eradicate.

Eyewitness News stumbled across the discovery as it traversed Mpumalanga monitoring how residents were responding to calls from the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to register and update their personal details ahead of the 2024 general elections.

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Parents, like this mother, who were there over the weekend were also taken aback by the state of the ablution facilities their children needed to use while at school.

“I went to the toilet where I discovered that they are not clean. As parents, government, and teachers we need to sit down and find a solution on resolving the issue of dirty toilets in Mayibuye. We plead with the government to assist us in this matter."

Meanwhile, the province’s Department of Education laid blame for the poor conditions of the toilets solely on the school’s governing body (SGB).

Its spokesperson, Gerald Sambo, said schools and parents needed to create a sense of responsibility and ensure that infrastructure was well looked after.

Sambo also questioned why money meant for maintenance wasn’t used properly.

“As a department, we urge all our schools to use the allocated 15% of the allocated budget for the maintenance purposes, and we hereby call upon the school SGB to develop a maintenance plan to make sure that schools remain in conditions that are conducive for learning and teaching."