Basic Education Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga, has warned implementing agents for school infrastructure projects that the time for excuses is over. Minister Motshekga held a meeting with CEOs of implementing agents at the Department of Basic Education (DBE) offices on 4 August 2022, to push all Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) and the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) projects towards practical completion. Deputy Minister, Dr Reginah Mhaule and Director-General, Mr Mathanzima Mweli, highlighted that the frequent engagement between the DBE and the implementing agents will pave the way for the SAFE and ASIDI projects to be completed as scheduled.

As part of its response to the school infrastructure backlog, the Basic Education Sector is implementing the Provincial Infrastructure Programme, ASIDI and the SAFE initiative, to create environments that are conducive to learning. The Provincial Infrastructure Programme is usually implemented by provinces to provide basic services, deliver new schools in addition to existing schools, whilst ensuring frequent upgrading of services and maintenance of schools where necessary. The ASIDI is aimed at addressing school's infrastructure backlog in schools that do not meet the basic safety norms and standards, whereas SAFE is intended to eradicate all pit latrines and other unacceptable sanitation, provide safe and appropriate ablution facilities, as well as address insufficient or inadequate sanitation facilities and maintenance of all ablution facilities. The implementing agents responsible for SAFE and ASIDI projects include the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), the Mvula Trust and the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT).

During the meeting, the DBE confirmed that, “initially there were 510 schools that were identified to benefit from the ASIDI project. The implementing agents are currently busy with the construction of 331 schools, with a total of 308 of these schools having already progressed to practical completion. With regard to water supply, there were 1,272 schools targeted and 1,241 of these schools have already progressed to practical completion. As far as SAFE is concerned, the DBE has a confirmed record of 3,413 schools on the list and a total of 2,315 of these schools have already progressed to practical completion”. As the discussion continued, several implementing agents blamed the contractors at their purview for sluggish progress in terms of completing the school infrastructure projects as assigned. The implementing agents further highlighted that the school infrastructure projects were often delayed because contractors failed to buy building material in time. COVID-19 restrictions and floods experienced in some parts of the provinces where the SAFE and ASIDI projects were constructed, have been flagged as factors compromising practical completion.

The Minister said the slow pace of delivery and poor workmanship is not acceptable and ordered the implementing agents to complete all the school infrastructure projects no later than 2023. “Our learners deserve decent school infrastructure; they cannot wait for years before proper school infrastructure is delivered to them. I therefore encourage you to increase your work speed to complete all the projects during the 2021/2022 financial year,” she said. Both the DBE and the implementing agents have agreed to prioritise the monitoring of school infrastructure projects to hold onsite contractors accountable.