Civil Society group Section27 has launched the Michael Komape Sanitation Progress Monitor to track the progress made in eradicating pit toilets in Limpopo and across South Africa. The initiative aims to eliminate unsafe and undignified sanitation facilities in public schools, particularly in the Limpopo province, and has been available online since its launch.
SECTION27's Demichelle Petherbridge explained that the progress monitor is critical for data evaluation as there are more than 3,000 schools in Limpopo. The tool will be updated every six months providing members with up to date information.
We also wanted the community and civil society to have access to this information and this is what brought about the tool and it's going to be updated every 6 months with new data that the department gives us.
Why The Progress Monitoring Tool Is Critical
In 2014, five-year old Michael Komape drowned in a pit toilet on his first day of school. Section 27 represented the Komape family in court, and in 2018, a judge issued a landmark judgement. As part of the relief sought, the Limpopo Department of Education was mandated to devise plans to completely eliminate pit toilets from all public schools in the province.
However, the plans provided were deemed unacceptable, with a projected timeline extending to 2030. Dissatisfied with the plans. In September 2021, the court agreed with Section27's position and ordered the Limpopo Department of Education to present improved plans with detailed timelines and data.
This revised plan was delivered in December 2021. The project requires the Education to update the organisation every six months with progress reports on its implementation.
According to the Department's initial plans schools which solely have pit toilets, should have been pit toilet-free by the end of 2021. However, recent reports indicate that this goal might be delayed until the end of 2023.
The reasons for this delay remain unclear, but concerns have been raised about budget constraints and issues with implementing agents.
Petherbridge says while the project focuses on Limpopo, there is hope for its expansion to a national level to address the widespread problem of pit toilets in South African schools. Improved data and accountability are seen as critical steps in finally eradicating pit toilets across the country.
