How austerity measures are undermining education rights in South Africa

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Breadline Africa says there's no excuse for any child in South Africa to still be using a pit latrine at school.
Image: Supplied
The rights of pupils in government schools in South Africa are being violated, while the years of austerity measures implemented by the National Treasury have devastatingly affected the quality, accessibility, and equity of education across the country.
The National Teachers Union (Natu) stated that 'education is a right, not a budget line'.
Natu general secretary Doctor Ngema said the constitutional right to basic education, enshrined in Section 29 of the Constitution, is systematically eroded.
Ngema said during the 2023/24 financial year, over 23,000 posts in provincial education departments across the country were cut, with the total number of unfilled but funded vacancies exceeding 46,000.
'This has led to dangerously overcrowded classrooms, where learners are deprived of individual attention and teachers are stretched beyond capacity. Due to years of budget cuts, we now face chronic underfunding and infrastructural decay, resulting in many schools having dilapidated classrooms and a lack of basic amenities such as toilets and electricity,' he said.
Earlier this year, more than 2,400 teacher posts were cut in the Western Cape, resulting in legal action against the Department of Education in the province.
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Sadtu said the austerity measures and budget cuts have resulted in overcrowded classrooms that hinder effective teaching and learning. The lack of substitute teachers has increased the workload for the remaining educators, negatively impacting their health.
In May, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said the provincial education sector baseline over the 2025 MTEF is R1.04 trillion, and R9.5 billion will be added over the medium term to keep teachers in classrooms and hire more staff.
Godongwana said an additional R10 billion has been added to the baseline as announced during the March 12 Budget to expand access to early education.
The minister said this will increase the ECD subsidy from R17 per child per day to R24. The extra funding will also support increased access to ECD for 700,000 more children, up to the age of five years.
Public interest law centre, Section27, said building a nation starts in classrooms, and the Budget marks a significant shift from years of harsh austerity. While not without gaps, this Budget reflects pressure from communities and civil society to put the people of South Africa at the centre of South Africa's budget priorities.
For Budget 3.0 to mark a real turning point, its promises must be delivered, especially at the provincial level, where services are meant to reach people.
The centre said the education sector has experienced chronic underfunding, with per-learner spending declining in real terms over the past decade.
'This year's allocation to Basic Education rises from R325 billion to R347 billion - a 6.7% nominal increase, translating to a real increase of 2.6% after inflation.'
While Section27 welcomed this as the largest basic education increase in years, the centre said it follows a period of sustained underfunding.
'As a result, this allocation alone is not enough to fully address overcrowded classrooms, infrastructure backlogs, and chronic teacher shortages in public schools.'
According to the centre, per pupil, government spending will increase nominally from 2024/25's R24,230.58 to R25,669.53 in 2025/26.
'However, once adjusted for inflation, per learner spending will actually decline to R23,755.34 in 2025/26 - highlighting the ongoing erosion of real investment.'
Natu stated that the promises to improve infrastructure have not materialised, leaving pupils in unsafe and undignified conditions.
Last month, Breadline Africa, a non-profit organisation that has launched a nationwide campaign to eradicate pit toilets in schools, warned that more than 500,000 pupils are estimated to still rely on dangerous and unhygienic pit toilets at their schools in various parts of the country.
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) said progress has been slow in eliminating pit toilets in South African schools.
Unfortunately, some pupils have lost their lives because of pit toilets, which continue to put other pupils in danger if not eradicated, it said.
'To push the government for urgent intervention in eradicating pit latrines, Fedusa would like the government and responsible departments to think of the families of the 5-year-old Viwe Jali from the Luna Primary School in Bizana, Eastern Cape Province, who fell into a pit latrine on 12 March 2018 and passed away, Michael Komape who fell into a pit toilet at his school on 20 January 2014, and drowned, and Langalam Viki, a 3-year-old who died after falling into a pit toilet at Mcwangele Primary School in Vaalbank village in the Eastern Cape, 6 March 2023.'
While acknowledging the Sanitation Appropriate for Education initiative (SAFE) by the Department of Basic Education, Fedusa believes more can be done to address the issue.
Robert Erasmus, managing director of Sanitech, a portable toilet hire company, said that the slow rate of pit latrine eradication in South African schools is attributed to budgetary, logistical, and infrastructural challenges.
'Funding allocation at a provincial level often sees delays in execution due to bureaucratic red tape, complex tender processes, and financial mismanagement,' he said.
Erasmus said many affected schools are located in remote, rural areas where finding reputable contractors is a challenge.
'Local municipalities also struggle with procurement processes that require locally sourced resources, further delaying progress,' he said.
Despite these challenges, Erasmus said innovative sanitation technologies offer hope and provide safer and more hygienic alternatives to traditional pit latrines.
He said the Khusela unit features a rotating bowl, a replaceable bladder to prevent waste exposure, and microbiological products that treat waste while eliminating odours. Its elliptical shape optimises space and waste containment, making it ideal for schools.
'This solution also aims to ensure safety and dignity, especially for school environments where tragic incidents have occurred,' he said.
Given the government's slow progress, Erasmus said the private sector must step up to bridge the gap.
He said in 2022, South African companies allocated R10.9 billion to Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiatives, with half of these funds directed toward education.
'By channelling a portion of this budget to sanitation infrastructure, corporates can expedite the eradication of pit latrines while enhancing their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings,' said Erasmus.
According to Erasmus, CSI initiatives offer the advantage of bypassing bureaucratic hurdles, allowing for faster implementation.
Businesses can guarantee successful project implementation by partnering with trusted sanitation companies, he said.
For example, the Khusela unit offers a budget-friendly and functional improvement as it is adaptable for use with current Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrines.
'Eradicating pit latrines in South African schools requires a multi-faceted approach. While the government must fulfil its commitment to replacing these facilities by the proposed deadlines, the urgency of the situation calls for immediate action. Corporate South Africa, through CSI initiatives, can play a pivotal role in accelerating progress. By investing in innovative, cost-effective solutions, businesses can ensure that no child has to risk their life or dignity to attend school,' said Erasmus.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) stated that Section 34(1) of Chapter 4 of the South African Schools' Act, (Act 84 of 1996) states: 'The State must fund public schools from public revenue on an equitable basis in order to ensure the proper exercise of the rights of learners to education and the redress of the past inequalities in education provision.'
In addition, the union said Section 28(2) of the SA Constitution further affirms that a child's best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child.
With regard to the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act (Act No. 32 of 2024), Theresa Michael, a key advocate in the Afrika Tikkun Bambanani initiative, believes that the BELA Bill presents an opportunity to create a stronger and more inclusive early learning system in the country.
The BELA Bill, which amends the South African Schools Act of 1996 and the Employment of Educators Act of 1998, aims to improve school governance and management by addressing compulsory schooling, admissions, language policies, and home-schooling regulations.
Michael said that by enforcing national standards and ensuring accountability, the Bela Act can drive improvements in the quality of education that young children receive.
'Our work in upskilling practitioners and equipping centres aligns with the need for structured, high-quality early learning environments. If implemented effectively, this act can help bridge the gap between policy and practice, ultimately benefiting the youngest learners,' she said.
Similarly, Tessa Forman, who has been at the forefront of empowering practitioners through training and mentorship at the organisation, sees the BELA Act as a catalyst for meaningful change.
'Many ECD centres operate without the necessary oversight, leading to inconsistencies in teaching quality and resource allocation. The act, if supported with the right implementation strategies, could provide much-needed standardisation and support. At Afrika Tikkun Bambanani, we have witnessed the transformative power of structured training and curriculum implementation. If the government aligns its efforts with organisations like ours, we can ensure that every child gets a fair start in life,' she said.
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The youth of 2025 are facing challenges with dilapidated classrooms, school infrastructure, and a lack of basic amenities such as toilets, electricity, and safe classrooms.
Image: File