Learners at Ndlelayabasha Primary school celebrate their new toilets. Photo: Nompendulo Ngubane
30 January 2019
Sibusiso Ntuli, the principal of Ndlelayabasha Primary school in Willowfontein, Pietermaritzburg is overjoyed. Amalooloo, a Pretoria company, has donated 16 dry toilets to the school. In July GroundUp reported that the school was struggling, having only one pit toilet to cater for 455 learners.
Willowfontein has had an inconsistent water supply for three years. The school has flushing toilets but these cannot function if the water has not been delivered by a water tanker.
Learners were sent home if there was no water because only grade 7s are old enough to use the single pit toilet.
Amalooloo project manager Curtis Diago said his company learnt about the problem from the GroundUp article. The company made contact with the school in October. It finished installing the new toilets by December.
“Water is a basic need and it should not affect learning,” said Diago. “We have handed over 16 toilets. There is a unit for boys, girls and two toilets for educators as well. … We are happy to have donated these toilets to the school. No pupil will be sent home because of the shortage of water or toilets.”
Ntuli said, “Should we run out of water, we have a backup. … The learning sessions will go on without any problems.” The learners will use the toilets from January to March.
The toilets are designed to separate solids from liquids. The solids are collected and burnt every few months. The waste dries and turns into manure.