End of killer pit toilets in sight

Six years after the launch of a campaign to eliminate pit toilets at schools across South Africa, the end of this archaic system is now in sight, as less than 250 institutions are still functioning with these long drop facilities.

- 

That number has come down from more than 4 707 when the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (Safe) initiative was kicked off by President Cyril Ramaphosa in August 2018.

Action was sparked by reports of children drowning in these pit toilets, like Michael Komape in Limpopo in 2014. Since then, the tragedies have continued around the country, with the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal the worst provinces.