Many African countries are still grappling with the dictates of modernization especially in environmental matters. Take the case of providing toilets in residential homes. In South Africa, the Department of Basic Education announced a strategy to fix sanitation in the schools two months ago. It is only now that the Department has secured private funding to begin a two-year sanitation improvement plan. However, questions about the legitimacy of the data collected remain.
President Cyril Ramaphosa had earlier directed the Department of Basic Education to initiate a plan that includes funding from the private sector to finally eradicate pit toilets at schools in South Africa.
According to the spokesperson for the Department, Elijah Mhlanga, a variety of funders from the private sector have pledged financial support to the government to help fix sanitation countrywide. Mhlanga revealed during an exclusive interview with newsmen in Pretoria that “millions of rand have already been offered in this direction”.
The sanitation plan will have a two-year deadline, by the end of which the Department believes its officials will fix pressing sanitation issues in South African schools.
The plan will be unveiled on the 14th of this month, two months after the department’s initial deadline to urgently develop a new nationwide sanitation improvement strategy.
