By Celani Sikhakhane
- A six-year-old Grade R pupil died after falling into the school toilet at Umzila Primary School in Dannhauser on 6 August.
- KwaZulu-Natal still has 254 schools using dangerous pit toilets despite the national programme achieving a 97% removal rate across the country.
A six-year-old Grade R pupil from the Kunene family has died after falling into a school toilet, exposing KwaZulu-Natal’s struggle to get rid of dangerous pit toilets at over 250 schools.
The incident happened at Umzila Primary School in Dannhauser near Newcastle on 6 August 2025. Teachers and School Governing Body members said the boy was playing with a tyre during break time when he fell into the toilet.
Paramedics declared him dead when they arrived. The family has refused to speak to the media as they try to come to terms with the tragedy.
KZN legislature members visited the school this week after the incident. They discovered that despite government efforts to remove pit toilets, KZN still lags behind with over 250 schools using these dangerous facilities.
DA member of the Education Portfolio Committee Sakhile Mngadi said KZN has 254 schools still using pit toilets. This is about 4% of all schools in the province.
During his visit to Umzila Primary School this week, Mngadi said the tragedy shows why Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s national programme to get rid of pit latrines is so important.
“While the Department of Basic Education has achieved 97% eradication nationally, KZN remains behind. Every one of those schools represents children who are at risk, and every delay in addressing this is a risk too great,” said Mngadi.
The DA has written to Acting KZN Education portfolio committee chairperson Hlengiwe Mavimbela. They want a full report on this incident presented at the September committee meeting.
Mngadi said they want all authorities to speed up their investigations so the Kunene family can get the closure they deserve.
Reports say the young boy slipped away from the Grade R dismissal line and was playing near the school toilets. He fell into an underground septic tank that was not properly fenced off or secured.
The school has now blocked off the area and covered the tank with metal sheets and rocks.
The KZN Department of Education has sent condolences to the school and the Kunene family.
Education spokesperson in KZN Muzi Mahlambi confirmed that the school is not among those that still use pit toilets. Instead they use septic tank toilets.
Pictured above: Umzila Primary School septic tank toilet in Dannhauser where a six-year-old Grade R pupil fell off and died.
Image source: KZN DA
