BY ERIC MATOME KGOMO
BUSHBUCKRIDGE: The Mpumalanga MEC for Education, Bonakele Majuba, embarked on a schools’ sanitation and infrastructure projects monitoring programme at the Bushbuckridge area.
Majuba visited Saile Primary School, E.S Malele Secondary School, Kufakwezwe Secondary School and Ntsie Primary School to monitor progress made in the construction of sanitation and infrastructure projects. The projects are in line with the department’s intentions to completely eradicate pit latrines within the 2021/22 financial year.
The MEC was satisfied with the work done, which included the construction of ablution facilities, drilling of boreholes, provision of water tanks and installation of hand washing fountains.
According to the department, there are 189 projects that are underway in this financial year and every effort is being made to ensure that they are completed within their stipulated time frame.
During the monitoring programme, the principal of E.S Malele Secondary School, Ms Salome Timba, could not hide her excitement for the school infrastructure improvement.
“Today our school has 12 enviroloos constructed. Indeed that has shaped the mind set of our learners, teachers and the community at large to forge ahead focused on teaching and learning delivery. Today we have someone who is specially hired to take care of our precious assets, our rest rooms. To show our pride and excitement, we sing when we are in there, we treasure and appreciate what the department has done for us. As for us now there are no more tears, no more sickness and we are now safe from cracked and dilapidated buildings. We thank you MEC and your team,” she said.
Majuba urged all role players to accelerate the process where possible to complete the projects within the set time frame. “The provision of ablution facilities is a human rights issue that was supposed to have been long addressed. I am satisfied with the progress made today, however, I expect that we work around the clock to deliver on this mandate. We must ensure that the pit latrines are eradicated within the stipulated time frames,” he said.
