Pit latrines or pit toilets are a sort of hole in the ground for your excretions that are still present in public schools within South Africa. These hazardous holes in the ground can be harmful by emitting toxins and pathogens, motivating children to hold their urine until they get home, or even death by accidental falling. The Amnesty International South Africa organization is working to combat this.
Amnesty International is fighting to eradicate the amount of pit toilets that are present in close to 4000 institutions affecting over one million children. In 2013, these toilets were banned by the Minimum Uniform Norms and standards for public school infrastructure with plans to replace toilets by 2016. Yet, the government continues to bypass these deadlines and push them further as they are now in 2025. Amnesty International is setting up a petition to eradicate the toilets by the end of the year. In their efforts, they have created printed newspapers made with "sterilized" human faeces to make a point. They will not let this issue get swept under the rug as the government continues to try and do.
In our conversation with spokesperson Cassandra Dorasamy we talked about what the status of these toilets are, Amnesty International's involvement, as well as the extent of the dangers. Cassandra shared with us the several human rights violations, the pressures that the government needs to have, the relevance of a safe basic education, and how the newspaper flyer was needed to show people the reality of it all. You can learn more about their petition and how to make the most out of it here.
Hear the full interview on YouTube.
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