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A pupil relieves himself in the open toilet.

“Dangerous” toilets at Bungeni school

 

Pupils of Masungi Primary School at Bungeni are forced to relieve themselves in the bushes as a result of the dilapidated and dangerous state of their toilets. The school’s four classrooms and toilets have been left uncompleted by contractors.

The ablution block at the school is dilapidated, and when Limpopo Mirror recently visited the school, the pupils said it was not safe to use.

“All we need is an ablution block and classes to accommodate our children,” said the chairperson of the school governing body, Mr Eric Maluleke. He said that mobile toilets and classrooms could alleviate the situation as the lack of toilets is a matter that requires urgent attention. “Either that or else government must finish the uncompleted toilets and classrooms for our children.”

Maluleke said that during the handing-over of the site to the contractors in 2013, pupils at the school were looking forward to utilising the new buildings. It was estimated that the toilet project would be finished in three months, with a further six months needed to finish the classrooms.

There are currently four dilapidated toilet structures meant for pupils. Two of the four are open, with no walls or shelter. This leaves pupils, especially those in Grade R, exposed to the public when they choose to use them.

The other two have no doors, further compromising the privacy of the pupils. A bushy area within the school grounds is littered with faeces as some pupils choose to squat there "for privacy's sake", Maluleke said.

Some pupils at the school prefer to use toilets of residents who stay near the school or risk using one of the four ramshackle zinc structures at their school.

Maluleke said: “Parents are worried and fear for their children’s lives. It all started when a child at a school in the neighbouring village fell into a pit toilet late last year.” He said the department was aware of their plea as they had also written a letter to it, requesting safer toilets.

A parent with two children at the school said the toilet problem was putting the safety and lives of the pupils at risk. “The young ones are very curious and might end up falling inside the toilet pit,” the parent said.

The school principal declined to comment and referred all questions to the Department of Education.

The spokesperson for the Department of Education, Mr Paena Galane, said that the department had terminated the building contracts because the contractors were doing shoddy work. He said that the buildings were not up to standard.

The chariperson of the SGB, Eric Maluleke, inspects the uncompleted toilets.

 

Date:22 May 2015

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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