Government and the business sector raised more than R45 million during the launch of the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative aimed at restoring the dignity of education in public schools. The launch took place at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria on 14 August 2018.

Basic Education Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga, said that there are currently 3,898 schools that require appropriate sanitation interventions. “I would like to thank corporates and individuals who have agreed to partner with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to eradicate pit latrines in our schools and restore the dignity of our children. The support has been truly incredible,” said Minister Motshekga.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, joined by Minister Motshekga, and Basic Education Deputy Minister, Mr Enver Surty, utilised the initiative to mobilise local and international business leaders to pledge their support for the Initiative. The partnership was spear-headed by business representatives from the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT), the Nelson Mandela Foundation; AVBOB and UNICEF.

During his presentation, Restoring Dignity to our children through the SAFE Initiative, Basic Education Director-General, Mr Hubert Mathanzima Mweli, outlined the outcome of the Sanitation Audit Report, which was compiled by the DBE with the assistance of the Provincial Education Departments. According to the Audit Report, more than 10,661 schools experience sanitation challenges in the country.

During the launch, President Ramaphosa said that school sanitation challenges need to be addressed urgently, particularly in the approximately 4,000 schools that only have pit latrines or other inappropriate sanitation facilities. “Schools should be places where children can be safe, supported, nurtured and empowered,” added the President.

“It was in such a school, Mhlodumela Primary School in Limpopo, where five-year old Michael Komape drowned in a pit toilet in 2014, whilst Lumka Mkethwa lost her life at Luna Junior Primary School in the Eastern Cape, during March this year. The utterly tragic and devastating deaths of children so young and so innocent remind us of the human consequences of service delivery delayed,” said President Ramaphosa.

“With today’s launch, we are calling on all South Africans, corporates, NGOs and international partners to be part of this ambitious, but necessary effort to give effect to the fundamental human rights of our learners. Let us build a social compact that recognises our shared responsibility to build a new society founded on the principles of justice, respect, dignity and equality,” concluded the President.