The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng demands that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) accelerate the eradication of asbestos-containing schools in the province. Asbestos classrooms not only violate the rights of our learners’ safety but also pose serious health risks to learners and teachers.
“The Constitution guarantees every child the right to education and a safe learning environment. However, in Gauteng, thousands of children remain trapped in toxic structures. The GDE has identified 29 schools built predominantly from asbestos which clearly shows that the Gauteng Provincial Government is not on the right track in eliminating the deadly substance lurking in our schools,” says Sergio Isa Dos Santos, the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education.
The situation is made worse by the alarmingly slow progress in building schools in the province. Despite Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s promises since 2023 to construct 18 new schools to replace asbestos and mobile classrooms, only four have been completed. Currently, three schools are still under construction. Nine schools are expected to complete their implementation stage by 2028/2029, while another nine will not finish the Feasibility Studies until 2029/2030. Additionally, two schools remain without a completion date.
The mismanagement of funds has intensified the crisis. Schools such as Rust-ter-Vaal Secondary experienced spiralling budgets, with R55 million spent out of an original budget of R83.5 million before the contractor was terminated. This has led to the need for a new appointment with a revised budget of R44.9 million. Similar issues have occurred at Lakeside Primary where millions have been wasted while learners continue to suffer in unsafe conditions.
This goes against Section 24 of the Constitution, which states that everyone has the right to a safe environment for their health. Yet, on Human Rights Day, we will only hear empty rhetoric about how the government is supposedly safeguarding the rights of Gauteng citizens, while it is infringing upon the rights of our learners by exposing them to asbestos.
We will continue to exert pressure on GDE to accelerate the eradication of asbestos in schools, hold those responsible for delays accountable, and take swift action against contractors to recover funds.
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would have long met the deadline to eradicate asbestos schools by hiring competent contractors and ensuring adequate monitoring of projects to ensure that they are completed within budget and stipulated timelines.
No more broken promises. No more dangerous delays. Every child deserves a safe school, not toxic classrooms, and bureaucratic excuses.