Issued by Daniela Ellerbeck on behalf of the FW de Klerk Foundation on 01/04/2025

Dear Minister Gwarube

On behalf of the FW de Klerk Foundation, I extend our heartfelt commendation to the Department of Basic Education for its remarkable achievement in eliminating over 93% of identified pit toilets in public schools across South Africa as of 11 March 2025. This accomplishment is a significant step towards ensuring safe and dignified sanitation facilities for all learners.

On 27 March 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised the urgent need to prioritise school sanitation, rightly calling it a life-and-death issue. The FW de Klerk Foundation has stated that the tragic incidents of children falling into pit latrines and losing their lives should not occur in a country where the right to dignity and children’s rights are enshrined in the Constitution.

Monday, 31 March 2025, marked the Department’s deadline to eradicate all school pit latrines in the country. The FW de Klerk Foundation eagerly awaits your National Announcement on 4 April 2025, during your visit to the Limpopo Province, regarding the status of meeting the deadline.

The FW de Klerk Foundation sincerely hopes, and indeed looks forward to hearing, that the Department has successfully managed to meet the deadline. The critical importance of eliminating all pit latrines in schools across the country and the impact this has on the health and safety of our children cannot be overemphasised.

Thank you for your commitment to improving the educational environment for our children and working towards realising their constitutional right for safety and dignity. Your efforts are greatly appreciated and have a profound impact on the lives of many.

Sincerely,
Daniela Ellerbeck
Constitutional Rights Programme Manager
FW de Klerk Foundation