Job Mokgoro vows to end pit latrines
Premier pledges to improve lives
North West premier Job Mokgoro has vowed to eradicated pit toilets in all schools in the province by the end of the financial year.
Mokgoro gave the undertaking during his state of the province address on Friday.
He said by the end of 2019/20 financial year, there should be no school with pit toilets in the province. Mokgoro said his government’s physical infrastructure project list will be heavily biased towards the eradication of pit latrines.
“We will strengthen our engagements with the building industry, existing and potential strategic partners, business and donors,” he said.
His statements brought smiles on the faces of parents of over 500 pupils at Phakisang primary school in Ottoshop outside Mahikeng, who were forced to use 5 litre buckets to drain waste from overflowing pit latrines. Sowetan highlighted the plight of pupils and parents at the school last month.
School governing body chairperson Tumalano Motswaiso said: “I know education department officials came [and promised the same], but I was happy after hearing the premier say it live to the nation that pit toilets will be eradicated.”
“At this school, parents used to take turns on a monthly basis to drain toilets. They decided to demolish the bucket toilets at the school and dug up two pit toilets for pupils to use.”
They demolished the school’s four flushing toilets which had not been working for a while and dug up two pit latrines, which they hoped may be easier to manage.
Provincial education spokesperson Freddy Sepeng said it was a national deadline to eradicate pit latrines by 2019. “The situation at Phakisang would be fixed by then.” Hundreds of residents took to the streets in April, demanding that former premier Supra Mahumapelo resign. He scored a legal victory last week after courts ruled for his reinstatement as ANC chairperson.
‘‘ We’ll strengthen engagements with the building industry