Only six functioning toilets for 1,246 pupils.
This is the dire situation at Pellsrus Primary School in Jeffreys Bay, where children are being forced to endure daily humiliation and suffer health risks as the year-long crisis drags on.
With only three available toilets for the boys and three for the girls, some pupils have had to head home early, suffer bladder infections, and even wet themselves in front of their peers because they can no longer wait their turn to use the restroom.
Little more than a year ago, the pupils had access to 34 toilets, including urinals, but the facilities were in dire need of a revamp.
It was then decided that a construction company called The Mvula Trust would be hired to handle the maintenance and renovation of the 34 toilets, with work starting in September 2024.
But the repairs have since hit a dead-end, with school governing body (SGB) chair Vivian van Eck recently expressing concern about the fact that construction was halted in December 2024.
“The project was meant to be completed in six months, but a year later we still have problems,” Van Eck said.
“The project was supposed to be done in February, but when that didn’t happen they [the contractor] gave us two temporary toilet structures.
“They started work again in May with promises that they would be done by June. We are in September now and nothing has happened.
“They have even left the site in a bad state.
“The old toilets are left out in the open and pose a dangerous risk for the kids when they play during break.”
A Herald team visited the school during lunchtime on Monday and witnessed how pupils queued outside the few functioning toilets before they had to get back to class.
The provincial branch of the SA Human Rights Commission has since urged the education department to intervene as the situation may infringe on the pupils’ rights to dignity, health and basic education.
A parent and SGB committee member, Donavan Perils, said the situation needed to resolved urgently to ensure a conducive learning environment.
“Our kids are suffering under these terrible circumstances,” Perils said.
“This is also affecting the teaching and learning in the classroom because the kids will want to go to the bathroom during class.
“The teachers can’t deny their requests because they know that there are limited toilets.
“It’s also humiliating for them because sometimes they end up wetting themselves and then they get made fun of by the other kids.
“It’s really not a good situation at all.”
Carol Hammond, the school’s learner support agent, said several of the little girls had also been sent to her office because of bladder infections seemingly caused by the situation.
“Some of these learners are brought to me with bladder infections,” Hammond said.
“It’s about 10 or 11 kids so far, but some of them go straight to their parents and don’t come to me so it is most likely that the number is much higher.
“This is not OK because these are babies; they should not be exposed to these kinds of infections.”
Meanwhile, for the more than 40 teachers and workers there are only four toilets, and pupils are occasionally allowed to use these facilities when they are desperate.
Another problem faced by the school is the hazardous dumping of the old toilets and rubble in an open area on the playground and there are also water tanks lying on the field.
Mervin Barendse, another parent on the SGB, said the department or The Mvula Trust needed to take responsibility for the situation.
“We are grateful for the assistance, we are happy that the department has made it possible for us to get new toilets,” Barendse said.
“[But] it is just frustrating that there are so many delays and we are not getting any straight answers about what is going on.”
SA Human Rights Commission Eastern Cape manager Dr Eileen Carter said the problem was affecting the quality of the education the children received.
“The commission is concerned about the reported sanitation issues at Pellsrus Primary, where over 1,200 learners are sharing only six toilets,” Carter said.
“This situation may infringe on the rights to dignity, health and basic education.
“We have been monitoring progress on school sanitation infrastructure and have consistently raised concerns about the pace of delivery.
“While we recognise the department of basic education’s infrastructure plans and budgetary constraints, the current conditions suggest that learners remain at risk.
“We urge authorities to implement urgent interim measures and ensure long-term compliance with infrastructure norms and standards.”
Education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said the contract was worth about R2.1m.
“The Mvula Trust is appointed as the implementing agent for the flush maintenance programme of which [the Pellsrus school] is part of the allocation.
“The scope of works included the maintenance of 34 existing flush toilets including urinals, water supply tanks and stands including water reticulation (3×20kl tanks) electric water pump and installation of fencing around water tanks.”
He said the department acknowledged the situation and was working in earnest to have it resolved.
“The delay in the completion of the project is due to the contract of the contractor appointed by The Mvula Trust.
“They are currently in the process of finding a new contractor.
“While this process is ongoing, the school will be provided with portable toilets to help alleviate the problem. We will also have an urgent meeting to solve this problem.”
The trust referred questions to the education department.
The Herald
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