Latest news with #UAT
The Herald
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
UAT outraged as Gauteng returns unspent R1bn to National Treasury
The United Africans Transformation (UAT) party expressed its disappointment at the Gauteng government after it was revealed that more than R1bn earmarked for critical services had been returned to the National Treasury due to underspending in the 2024/25 financial year. Provincial Treasury department head, Ncumisa Mnyani said on Monday that the department of health did not spend R724.6m of its R66bn allocated budget, while the department of education also failed to use R317.35m of its R66.1bn budget, Sowetan reported. The political party said people of Gauteng cannot continue to suffer because government officials are too slow, too disorganised, or too complacent to do their jobs. 'How does a government with a R66bn health budget fail to spend R724m, when clinics remain understaffed and healthcare infrastructure is crumbling? 'How does a department with a R66.1bn education budget fail to spend R317m, while township schools face overcrowding, poor sanitation and infrastructure backlogs?' the party said. It said Gauteng's infrastructure and services were in dire need of attention. This included roads with unaddressed potholes and maintenance needs, continuous power outages affecting daily life and economic productivity and underfunded schools requiring renovations for a conducive learning environment. 'The returned funds could have fixed our roads, schools and many more. Instead, we're stuck with potholes and darkness, crime, unemployment, lack of housing etc.' TimesLIVE
TimesLIVE
16-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
UAT outraged as Gauteng returns unspent R1bn to National Treasury
The United Africans Transformation (UAT) party expressed its disappointment at the Gauteng government after it was revealed that more than R1bn earmarked for critical services had been returned to the National Treasury due to underspending in the 2024/25 financial year. Provincial Treasury department head, Ncumisa Mnyani said on Monday that the department of health did not spend R724.6m of its R66bn allocated budget, while the department of education also failed to use R317.35m of its R66.1bn budget, Sowetan reported. The political party said people of Gauteng cannot continue to suffer because government officials are too slow, too disorganised, or too complacent to do their jobs. 'How does a government with a R66bn health budget fail to spend R724m, when clinics remain understaffed and healthcare infrastructure is crumbling? 'How does a department with a R66.1bn education budget fail to spend R317m, while township schools face overcrowding, poor sanitation and infrastructure backlogs?' the party said. It said Gauteng's infrastructure and services were in dire need of attention. This included roads with unaddressed potholes and maintenance needs, continuous power outages affecting daily life and economic productivity and underfunded schools requiring renovations for a conducive learning environment. 'The returned funds could have fixed our roads, schools and many more. Instead, we're stuck with potholes and darkness, crime, unemployment, lack of housing etc.'
IOL News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
UAT demands independent audit as 13,000 SA schools lack proper toilets despite Minister's claims
Thousands of South African learners still face unsafe classrooms, broken toilets, and no running water. UAT demands urgent action, independent audits, and real accountability from the Department of Basic Education. Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers The United Africans Transformation (UAT) is calling for an urgent, independently verified audit of all public school infrastructure in South Africa, along with the immediate release of the findings to the public. This comes after comments made by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube during a parliamentary presentation last week in which she claimed that "90% of schools are in fair to excellent condition." According to UAT, these remarks are both 'heartbreaking and outrageous' and do not reflect the daily reality faced by thousands of learners across the country. 'When the minister confidently told the nation that '90% of schools are in fair to excellent condition,' she did not speak for the thousands of learners still sitting in unsafe classrooms, walking through cracked walls, and using broken, undignified toilets,' said UAT national spokesperson Doer Mabule. 'She certainly did not speak for the parents and teachers in rural villages and overcrowded townships who are crying out for change.' Mabule said it was about students learning in scorching hot container classrooms with no windows or proper ventilation. The party pointed to long-standing failures in the education system, including the continued use of pit toilets, unsafe structures, and inadequate sanitation facilities. ''It's about taps that don't run, lights that don't switch on, and schools without a single working toilet.'' Despite Gwarube's admission that over 8,000 schools still require proper classrooms and 13,000 lack adequate toilets, her department has missed its March 2024 deadline to eliminate pit toilets,' a promise made to South Africans a year ago,' said Mabule. 'These are not just backlogs. These are broken promises. And behind every one of those numbers is a child who deserves better,' he said. UAT is demanding a focused emergency plan to address 'the most dangerous infrastructure failures, collapsing classrooms, lack of water and electricity, and the disgrace of pit toilets.' The party insists this plan must have clear deadlines and be implemented 'with urgency, not excuses.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Mabule emphasised that 'it is not good enough to say, 'we are working on it.' Our children are not construction projects. They are people. They are the future.' Calling for transparency and accountability, UAT said communities have the right to know the truth and that the Department of Basic Education must start listening to those most affected, 'parents, teachers, and learners themselves.' 'We will not allow this government to continue hiding behind statistics while our children suffer in silence,' Mabule said. 'This is not about politics. It's about justice, dignity, and the kind of country we want to become. Our children are watching. Let's not fail them again.'' UAT believes that every child in this country deserves to walk into a clean, safe, and fully equipped school, not one day in a distant future, but now. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL Politics
TimesLIVE
13-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
United Africans Transformation calls on education department to fix schools
The United Africans Transformation (UAT) party has called on the basic education department urgently to conduct a full, independently verified audit of every public school in the country. The political party also demanded a focused emergency plan that addresses the most dangerous infrastructure failures, including collapsing classrooms, lack of water and electricity, and pit toilets. 'This plan must have clear deadlines and be implemented with urgency, not excuses,' the party said on Tuesday. It was commenting on a statement by basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube in parliament last week that '90% of schools are in fair to excellent condition'. UAT said Gwarube did not speak for the thousands of pupils still sitting in unsafe classrooms, walking through cracked walls and using broken, undignified toilets. 'She certainly did not speak for the parents and teachers in rural villages and overcrowded townships who are crying out for change. This is not just about pit toilets. It is about children being sent to school every day in buildings that are falling apart.' The party said it was about pupils learning in scorching hot container classrooms with no windows or proper ventilation. UAT said Gwarube herself admitted that more than 8,000 schools still needed proper classrooms and that more than 13,000 schools did not have enough toilets to meet the needs of growing pupil numbers. 'And yet, her department missed its own deadline to eliminate pit toilets by March 31 2024, a promise made to South Africans years ago. These are not just backlogs. These are broken promises.' The party said it was not good enough for the department to say 'we are working on it'. 'UAT believes that every child in this country deserves to walk into a clean, safe and fully equipped school not one day in the distant future, but now.'
eNCA
30-04-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
UAT Takes Department of Basic Education to Court Over Pit Toilet Eradication Failures
JOHANNESBURG - The United Africans Transformation Party is planning to sue the Basic Education Department over its failure to eradicate pit latrines in South African Schools. The party is demanding the department provide safe and sanitary sanitation facilities for all school pupils. It says children have the right to learn in environments that do not compromise their health and dignity. The issue of school pit latrines has been ongoing since 2013, when the National Norms and Standards for Infrastructure banned them. Despite this, eradication deadlines were extended repeatedly. First to 2016 and then pushed to 2020. UAT spokesperson, Mighty Mabule, is concerned. 'The Department of Basic Education has violated our children's rights to a safe and dignified learning environment. The pit toilets are unsafe and unsanitary, which can lead to serious health issues. We have experienced tragic losses, such as the death of Michael Komape and other children in the Eastern Cape. NGOs have also indicated that the actual number of deaths may be higher due to underreporting in rural areas, as the community members often lack clear reporting channels,' he said. Limpopo Education Department Statistics from January 2023, show nearly 66,000 pupils in 210 schools relied solely on pit toilets. This is a notable improvement from December 2021, when 116,299 students in 363 schools depended on pit latrines. However, only 42% of Priority 1 schools—those identified as having only pit toilets—have had work completed or toilets deemed adequate. Despite progress, concerns remain about ongoing risks. Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, admitted that her department had not met its 31 March 2025, deadline to eradicate all pit toilets. Speaking at Mavhunga Primary School in Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, she announced that 96% of pit toilets identified in the 2018 Safe Initiative audit had been eradicated, leaving 141 schools still with unsafe facilities. UAT is calling for judicial intervention. 'Our legal team is preparing the case, making sure all consultations are done so that when we submit, it is a strong case. We will keep the public informed through our social media channels about developments' Mabule said. He further criticised government's inaction saying the Basic Education Department has violated children's rights to safe and dignified learning. Education expert, Hendrick Makaneta, highlighted the severity of the problem, particularly in provinces like Limpopo and Eastern Cape, where infrastructure is a significant challenge. 'Many schools are in areas where communities rely on pit toilets. The government alone cannot resolve this issue, especially given recent budget cuts and austerity measures affecting all departments,' he said. As the fight for safe school sanitation intensifies, many are calling for urgent intervention to protect the rights, health, and dignity of South Africa's children. - By Tshenolo Khaile
