Johannesburg - The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, said there were 908 schools that were outstanding in the Sanitation Appropriate For Education (SAFE) programme out of the 3 397 that received the sanitation projects.
Motshekga revealed the information when she was responding to parliamentary questions from the DA Education spokesperson Baxolile Nodada, who asked about the SAFE programme roll-out progress, the type of sanitation facilities schools provided to schools and whether the department has reached the target to provide 3 898 schools with appropriate sanitation facilities.
Nodada also questioned the completion date for the projects and the estimated cost of each sanitation project.
In her response, Motshekga said the 3898 schools on the SAFE programme had not been provided with appropriate sanitation facilities by March 31.
“The provincial departments made several changes to the list. This may be due to the rationalisation of small and unviable schools or due to further detailed assessments. The initial number of schools assessed to be dependent on basic pit toilets was 3 898.
‘’This number has been amended as more detailed information became available. Some schools were removed from the list, and other schools were added to the list. Even in 2022 and 2023, new schools were added to the SAFE Initiative,” she said.
Motshekga stated that the current number of schools after the revision of the SAFE programme was 3 397.
“Of these 3 397 schools, sanitation projects at 2 489 schools have already progressed to Practical Completion, with either water-borne or dry sanitation solutions, resulting in 908 schools remaining in the SAFE programme,” she added.
She, however, mentioned that the outstanding sanitation projects were scheduled for completion during the 2023/24 financial year.
On the average construction cost per school, the minister said R2.4 million would be spent on the demolition of basic pit toilets, all earthworks, building works, and the construction of walkways and retaining walls.
Motshekga said all the schools that were part of the 3 397 schools in the SAFE programme had basic pit toilets, and some received flush toilets and dry sanitation solutions.
She said schools with a sustainable water supply could receive flush toilets, and schools without a sustainable water supply would receive ventilated, improved pit toilets that conform to the requirements of SANS 10400 Q.
“We are working with the Water Research Commission to pilot other innovative technologies, which include closed-circuit flush toilets,” she highlighted.
Current Affairs