Pupil (6) dies in pit toilet
State policy too late to save boy ’ s life
TOILETS at all schools in three years’ time will be too late for little Michael Komape.
The six-year-old boy, who had just started Grade R at Mahlodumela Primary School, died after falling into a pit toilet at the school in Chebeng village in Moletji outside Polokwane in Limpopo.
The incident happened on Monday. It was reported that Michael had left class to use the school’s toilet. When he did not return to class after several hours, the teachers began searching for him.
After a search of the school, teachers discovered the boy had fallen into the pit latrine and died.
The incident exposes the shocking reality faced by disadvantaged pupils during school time.
In November, the Department of Basic Education published the regulations relating to minimum uniform norms and standards for public school infrastructure following a lengthy court battle instituted by lobby group Equal Education against Minister Angie Motshekga.
It stipulates that “all schools that do not have access to any form of power supply, water supply or sanitation must be prioritised and pro- vided with the above within a period of three years from the date of publication of the regulations”.
“The norms and standards relating to the availability of classrooms, electricity, water, sanitation, elec- tronic connectivity and perimeter security are to be prioritised and must be dealt with and implemented within seven years from the date of publication of the regulations.”
Sadly, this will come too late for little Michael.
His father James Komape said he was heartbroken at the death of his son.
Michael was the sixth in a family of seven children – four girls and three boys.
The unemployed father said he was looking forward to his son’s bright future.
“The death of my son has really left me devastated. I am, however, left with no option but to accept his death, ” Komape said yesterday.
Spokesman for the provincial education department, Phuti Seloba, said they would conduct investigations around the incident.
“We will check whether there was something that could have been done to avoid the incident so that we can use the information and the lesson in other areas where they still use pit toilets.
“As the department, we launched a comprehensive school sanitation programme in December, and it is running fairly well as a way of eradicating this type of system, ”
The death of my son has really left me devastated
Seloba said.
The DA in Limpopo said yesterday that the incident should raise serious questions about the role and responsibilities of teachers at the school, “as well as the infrastructure at this school”.
“All of these matters must be investigated with a full inquiry. The DA will make sure that the education department and other stakeholders get to the bottom of what happened at this school,” said DA provincial leader Jacques Smalle.
He said they grieved with the boy ’ s family and would keep them in their thoughts and prayers.
“We must make sure that this incident never happens again.”
ANC provincial task team spokesman Sello Lediga said: “We have learnt with shock about the tragic incident. As an organisation we are very perturbed by this incident and we call upon the department of education to ensure that children are safe from any harm in the school environment.
“We also convey our condolences to the bereaved family and also call on the community to rally behind the family.”