Learners ill due to unhygienic toilets, water cuts

Hundreds of pupils from schools in Nketoana in Free State are forced to endure horrifying unhygienic conditions that have led to some contracting urinary tract infections due to constant municipal water cuts.

- By Boitumelo Kgobotlo

The affected schools include Kgotso Uxolo Secondary School, Petsana Primary School, Phinduzame Primary School and Leifo Iziko Secondary School.

Betty Pieter, a parent to two children at Kgotso Uxolo Secondary School, said her daughter developed sores on her private parts after using the dirty toilets. She expressed frustration, explaining that since water shedding started and toilets stopped being cleaned, both her children avoid using the toilets at school.

"This is not the only case I know of. I met with another woman during our parents meet ups and she told me that even her boy child contracted an infection.

"It all started with daily water shedding but it is now a norm because when water returns during the day we won't hear that the toilets were at least cleaned."

She described the state of the school toilets as filthy, foul-smelling and unusable.