Gwarube tackles school infrastructure delays

BASIC Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube attributed delays in improving school infrastructure, such as pit latrines in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, to severe weather, the construction mafia, and underperforming contractors.

- THOBEKA NGEMA [e-mail]

Gwarube was responding to a parliamentary question from the MK Party’s Pinky Pearlgene Mngadi.

Mngadi noted that the department's 2025 Annual Performance Plan indicates that there are over 13.5 million pupils and nearly 460 000 teachers in the public and independent schools of the Republic, the majority of which suffer from poor infrastructure, including pit latrines, particularly in provinces like KZN and the Eastern Cape.

She asked Gwarube how she justifies the continued delays in eradicating the specified unsafe conditions which put the health and safety of learners at daily risk.

In her response, Gwarube explained that of the 3 372 sanitation projects initially identified under the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative as being reliant on basic pit toilets, 3 265 schools have already been provided with safe and age-appropriate sanitation facilities.