Durban — Maggots, flies and the smell of faeces have become a norm for Saphumula Senior Secondary pupils and teachers in the Mbumbulu area about 45km southwest of Durban.
This comes after the Department of Education allegedly demolished the school’s toilets to rebuild them.
When the rebuilding process began, the school of about 400 pupils was provided with four mobile toilets which were initially treated once a week, but that has reportedly stopped. However, due to no servicing, the toilets have become full, and smelly with live maggots inside and outside for almost three years.
This has led the pupils and teachers to seek toilet usage from neighbouring households or relieve themselves in the bushes, behind the toilets and classrooms.
During a Daily News visit to the school on Friday, the team was greeted by the smell of excrement before entering the school premises while a number of pupils were holding food dishes and eating from the school nutrition programme. Some ate as quickly as they could with their hands blocking their noses; others tried to find spots that were less stinky.
The team walked around the school while conducting interviews. There were pieces of used toilet paper everywhere behind the classrooms, also next to the unfinished toilets and mobile toilets.
One of the teachers who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being victimised said coming to work at the school had become an embarrassment.
“This has invaded our privacy. I have to disturb another teacher to be on the lookout for the pupils while I do whatever I need to. It does not even help because people living closer to the school are always complaining about seeing us behind the classrooms doing all that. Sometimes they shout as soon as they see us going behind the classes.
“The neighbours have banned us from using their toilet saying they are quick to get full. Now we are forced to try to hold out until after school should we need to poop. If it gets worse you have to go far into the bushes or go home. We also try to get the pupils to not poop within the school premises but they sometimes get sick so they do.”
The teacher added that this had affected the pupils’ attendance due to getting sick from the smell or using the already full mobile toilets.
Meanwhile, some matric pupils stated that they were looking forward to completing their studies and leaving school.
Sthembiso Ngcobo, 18, said he would rather hold it in than continue using the full mobile toilets to relieve himself. Other pupils could tell if one went inside because the smell of the poop remained on clothes, he said.
“We are a laughing stock even outside school because sometimes the smell sticks on you even after you have left the school premises. You see people laughing and pointing at you. I even avoid going to those toilets. Girls need it or deserve it more than us boys. It’s also awkward to line up for the same toilet with the girls. We cannot focus in class and it is easy to get sick. We inhale the same smell each and every day without a break,” said Ngcobo.
A Grade 11 pupil, Sinqobile Ndimande, 17, said the circumstances had forced her to skip school when she was on her period.
“We miss out on a lot. Sometimes you are forced to come while on your periods because we are writing tests. Yet you won’t have enough time to do everything you would feel free to do inside a proper toilet. You have to wait until the break is over and ensure that everyone is in class so you can change your pad. Sometimes you even mess up your uniform with stains while waiting for the right time to do so. Sometimes you are there and the male teacher also comes or vice versa. It is too much to go through while we are also expected to focus and pass.”
Thobile Maphumulo, a school governing body committee member, said they had written to the department and teachers’ union as a matter of urgency but in vain.
“We have so many problems in this school. It is exhausting and causes one to lose hope. The teachers’ toilets which were destroyed were better compared to the disgrace now faced.
“We are now stuck with full, stinky toilets with no one to clean or collect them. There is nothing we have not tried to get help. I am worried this school would have to be closed because it is in no state to operate in that condition. Every part of it stinks.”
Provincial Education Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said the department had enquired with the district for more information and would respond in due course once the full report had been received.
Daily News