NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 364
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 14/03/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 06/2014)
MrsA T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
(1) When will the ablution facilities at schools in the
Cofimvaba district in the Eastern Capebe upgraded so that
learners do not have to make use of pit toilets;
(2) what is the plan to address the problem of pit toilets at
schools throughout the country? NW418E
RESPONSE:
1. Cofimvaba is one of the prioritised areas for delivery in the Eastern
Cape infrastructure delivery portfolio for the current MTEF period.
There are various projects ranging from new schools, renovations,
rehabilitation and maintenance projects; all of these are at different
stages of the delivery chain, from identification, planning,
feasibility and construction phases. The school infrastructure build
programme in Cofimvaba benefits from two programmes, namely the
Provincial programme funded through the Education Infrastructure Grant
(EIG) & Equitable Share (ES) and the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure
Delivery Initiative (ASIDI). The ASIDI programme currently has 28 water
projects in Cofimvaba. These are schools that had no form of
sanitation. 64 schools in Cofimvaba are currently benefitting in the
provincial sanitation maintenance programme. These include
refurbishments and renovations to existing structures and replacement
of unsuitable sanitary fixtures such as pits.
2. The sector has prioritized the provision of water and sanitation as per
the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for
Public School Infrastructure (Government Gazette No. 37081, of 29
November 2013. In terms of the said regulations, within a period of
three years, all schools should be provided with an acceptable form of
sanitation. Acceptable forms of sanitation include waterborne
sanitation, small-bore sewer reticulation, septic or conservancy tanks,
ventilated improved pit latrines and composting toilets. In the
implementation of the regulations, Provinces are realigning
infrastructure plans and implementation plans with the regulations to
ensure that these targets are met.