Tragic death of pupil at KZN primary school highlights need for safe sanitation
A six-year-old pupil from Mzila Primary School in Danhauser died when he fell into an underground septic tank earlier this month. The circled area shows where the tank has now been covered with corrugated sheets and wooden planks.
Image: Supplied
An urgent call has been made to eradicate unsafe sanitation in schools after a recent incident where a six-year-old learner at Umzila Primary School in Dannhauser in northern KwaZulu-Natal died when he fell into a septic tank.
The DA conducted an oversight visit to the school on Monday, following the incident which took place on August 6.
According to the party, the child had “slipped away from the Grade R dismissal line and was playing near the school toilets when he fell into an underground septic tank that had not been properly cordoned off or secured”.
DA KZN spokesperson on education, Sakhile Mngadi, said the oversight revealed that although the school was well-run, infrastructure failures placed learners at risk.
“We found Umzila Primary to be a neat, well-managed school. This makes the incident all the more tragic, as it reflects the systemic infrastructure failures that continue to place learners at risk across our province,” he said.
Mngadi added that the school had since taken measures to block off the area where the child fell.
“The school has since taken steps to block off the area and cover the tank with metal sheets and rocks; however, the incident highlights the ongoing dangers of unsafe sanitation at our schools,” he said.
He stressed that the tragedy underlined the urgency of the government’s national sanitation programme.
“This tragedy underscores why Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s national programme to eradicate pit latrines is essential. While the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has achieved 97% eradication nationally, KZN remains behind, with 254 schools, approximately 4% of all schools in the province still using pit toilets,” he said.
The DA has written to Acting KZN Education portfolio committee chairperson, Hlengiwe Mavimbela, requesting a full report on the incident. “We also call on all authorities to expedite their investigations so that the Kunene family can receive the closure they deserve,” Mngadi said.
He further commended private sector contributions. “Public-private partnerships and community donations will play a crucial role in helping accelerate the eradication of unsafe infrastructure and keeping our learners safe,” he noted.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education earlier expressed its condolences to the family. Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said: “As the department, we would first like to extend our condolences to the bereaved family. Our prayers are with the family, as we understand the pain they are enduring.”
Mahlambi explained: “The school does not have pit toilets but septic tank toilets. The child fell into the septic tank while playing with a tyre. The teacher, security personnel, and a member of the community rushed to rescue the child by pulling him out, but unfortunately, when the paramedics arrived, he was declared deceased. No kind of explanation can heal the wound that this has caused to the family.”