Vandals scupper school

Learners and staff at Port Alfred Junior Secondary School continue to face sanitation challenges more than a year after the issue was first identified, raising concerns about learner dignity, health and the impact on teaching and learning.

The situation goes back to 2024, when the Eastern Cape Department of Education MEC Bukiwe Fanta visited the school and inspected the condition of the toilets. Following the visit, the MEC promised that the toilets would be rebuilt. In 2025, the department appointed Mvula Trust as the contractor to carry out the repairs.

However, the project stalled after the contractor later withdrew, forcing the department to restart procurement processes. During this period, the school’s existing toilets were broken into and vandalised, with toilet parts reportedly stolen, leaving the facilities unusable.

Deputy Principal, Juffrou Roslyn Baatjies said learners were not entirely without toilets in 2024, as the school was still able to use older facilities, although they were already in poor condition.

“Learners did have access to toilets, even though some were in bad condition, with open buckets and other issues,” Baatjies explained. “The situation became much worse around June 2025, when those toilets also broke and could no longer be used.”

She said the damage was largely caused by vandalism and misuse, including a break-in at one of the toilet blocks, while other toilets deteriorated due to damaged pipes and leaks that require professional repairs beyond the school’s capacity.

Despite the lack of functional toilets, Baatjies said the school has so far managed to avoid major health incidents by taking matters into its own hands. “As a school, we made our own arrangements and pay someone to clean the toilets regularly. A cleaner comes in during the week, she said.” However, she acknowledged that the situation is not sustainable and places financial strain on the school.

“This is not something the school can afford long-term. Some of the plumbing problems are underground and need skilled professionals,” she added.

After the school reported the problem to the Department of Education immediately after the toilets became unusable, the department provided 16 mobile toilets as a temporary solution. While Baatjies praised the department for responding quickly, she said the temporary solution also failed.

“The mobile toilets were vandalised and were never repaired,” she said.

As a result, learners reportedly lost about a week of schooling during the disruption, as normal academic activities could not continue under the circumstances.

Department of Education Communications Officer Mali Mtima confirmed that the department is aware of the situation and said the school was included in an Infrastructure Flush Toilet Maintenance Programme.

Mtima explained that the contractor introduced by Mvula Trust withdrew, which required the department to restart procurement processes. He confirmed that 16 mobile toilets were delivered last year as a temporary measure.

According to Mtima, a meeting was held recently between the District Director, provincial infrastructure officials and the school delegation, where it was resolved that infrastructure officials must urgently report back to their managers with a solution.

A follow-up meeting is scheduled for 12 February 2026, where the department is expected to present an urgent plan to address the sanitation crisis.

At present, the school has not been given a clear timeline for permanent repairs or rebuilding of the toilets, beyond the upcoming meeting.

School management and parents hope the matter will be resolved swiftly, warning that continued delays place learners’ dignity, safety and right to a conducive learning environment at risk.

• This article was first published in Talk of the Town, January 29, 2026. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays