Gauteng schools still contain asbestos years after deadline

Some pupils across Gauteng are still in danger of asbestos exposure, 11 years after a commitment to new standards.

- Jarryd Westerdale

The department of basic education agreed in 2013 to remove asbestos from schools, setting a deadline to eradicate it by 2016.

An updated report on the matter shows at least 29 schools in Gauteng had structural materials containing asbestos this year, with more across the country.

Asbestos was a popular construction material in South Africa in the '70s and '80s before health concerns put an end to its use. It can be moulded into most shapes and has been used in ceilings, walls and pipes, and when damaged the exposed fibres can contaminate skin and lungs.

Prolonged exposure can cause diseases such as lung cancer and asbestosis.

"A recent departmental report reveals that nine years after initial promises were made, 29 schools in Gauteng are built from asbestos," said member of the provincial legislature and DA Gauteng education committee Bronwynn Engelbrecht.

"We are concerned for the health of these pupils."