It seems highly unlikely that the Department of Education will meet its 31 March deadline to get rid of unhygienic and dangerous pit toilets in Vhembe. This is especially concerning for learners at Rivubye High School in Valdezia village, who are forced to use foul-smelling pit toilets or relieve themselves in nearby bushes.
Learners and teachers at Rivubye High are at their wits' end about the lack of proper sanitation facilities. The school, which has 888 learners from Grades 8 to 12, relies on three blocks of pit toilets, each with two stalls. As a temporary measure, the Limpopo Department of Education (LDoE) rented seven VIP mobile toilets, but these are poorly maintained. The temporary toilets are not cleaned regularly, and the chemicals are not replaced.
Learners who spoke to Limpopo Mirror said using the pit toilets was both frightening and hazardous. "In summer, the situation worsens as the mobile toilets become even smellier, forcing us to revert to the old pit toilets," said a Grade 12 learner. He added that many try to use the toilets at home before school and then endure the entire day without relieving themselves.
While teachers have access to proper flushing toilets, learners are left to cope with unsanitary conditions. The school-governing body (SGB) appears hesitant to push for urgent action. SGB chairperson Ms Glenda Furumele, who also represents the Democratic Alliance in the Makhado Municipality, initially acknowledged the seriousness of the sanitation problem. However, when contacted again on 12 March, she downplayed the issue, insisting that media coverage would not lead to immediate action.
"Even if the issue is broadcast or protested against, it does not mean the problem will be solved immediately," she said.
However, not everyone agrees with Furumele. Another SGB member, speaking anonymously, criticised the lack of urgency. She noted that the pit toilets were full and unusable, while the rented toilets, which cost the department R15,000 a month, were also neglected.
"The mobile toilets are smelly and unhealthy. We have sent multiple letters, but nothing has been done," she said, adding that political divisions within the SGB were hindering efforts to resolve the issue.
Among parents, there is growing distrust in the SGB leadership. Some pointed out that Furumele does not have a child enrolled at Rivubye High, which is a requirement for SGB parent representatives under the South African Schools Act.
Despite these challenges, Rivubye High School achieved an impressive 97.3% pass rate for Grade 12 in 2024, making it the top-performing school in the Vhembe West Elim Circuit.
When asked whether Furumele's position violated the Schools Act, Department of Education spokesperson Mike Maringa dismissed the concerns, suggesting that the department was being dragged into personal disputes.
"The South African Schools Act was not necessarily violated. One can serve on the SGB without being the biological parent of a learner," he said.
Maringa explained that the school is on the department's Priority List 2, meaning it will only receive assistance after Priority 1 schools have been addressed.
"Rivubye and other schools on Priority List 2 will be attended to in the 2025/26 financial year," he said, adding that the cost of renting mobile toilets varied by district and was determined through a quote system. "The chemical toilets will remain in use until proper infrastructure is provided."
On 17 March, the Public Service Association (PSA) revisited the school and found little progress in resolving the sanitation crisis. Frustrated by the continued inaction, the PSA approached the Department of Employment and Labour for an urgent Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) inspection.
Lawrence Muvhango, the PSA's Limpopo organisational officer, highlighted poor planning and possible financial mismanagement as ongoing concerns. He also criticised the department for failing to prioritise the eradication of pit toilets, despite a tragic incident 12 years ago in which a learner died after falling into one.
"The PSA calls on the MEC for Education to take urgent action, as the continued use of pit toilets violates the rights and dignity of both learners and educators. We have identified several other schools in Vhembe and beyond that still rely on pit toilets and plan to visit them soon," Muvhango said.
On 20 March, advocacy group Section27 announced it was closely monitoring whether the LDoE would meet its 31 March 2025 deadline to eliminate pit toilets at Priority 1 schools.
This follows a 2021 High Court ruling in the Michael Komape case, which mandated the removal of pit toilets from schools. Despite previous commitments, the department's latest report from November 2024 showed that toilets at 12 Priority 1 schools were still under construction, with completion now expected by March 2025.