Pit toilet crisis: LottoStar, Breadline Africa & ECR achieve the impossible
Learners at three schools in KZN returned after the Easter holidays to good news - they finally have proper toilet facilities.
East Coast Breakfast, LottoStar, and Breadline Africa have reached a major milestone in their mission to eradicate pit toilets in KwaZulu-Natal.
Brian Lewis, CEO of Envirosan Sanitation Solutions, has shared an exciting update about the Big Favour project.
Two weeks after his team began demolishing unsafe pit latrines and installing new toilets, their work is finally complete.
"Stick a fork in it, we are done. Our team has performed what many thought was impossible, and in less than two and a half weeks, they have completed three schools and handed them over," he said.
"Many of these children left before the Easter holidays, fearing for their lives everytime they used the unsafe and undignified pit toilets, and they've arrived back to flushing toilets."
The pit toilet crisis in South Africa has affected thousands of learners and teachers, who have no choice but to endure the unsafe and unhygienic facilities.
Some of the toilets don't have proper doors, offering no privacy.
"The situation is not good at all because the toilets that we have were built in 1995. So now the toilets are full, and the learners don't feel good about going there," a representative from Songozini Primary School said.
"It's not safe even for their health. It affects teaching and learning."
In an update shared on April 2, Lewis and the Big Favour team checked in with Songozini Primary School and revealed that they could be less than a week away from completing the job.
"We're running three schools in parallel, so all at the same time, and I think our team are actually quite far ahead with this one. In fact, I think we are days away from being able to hand over these low-flush toilets," Lewis said.
Listen to the update shared on the East Coast Breakfast below:
On Tuesday, March 31, Lewis checked in with Linwood Combined Primary School to hear just how much this project means on the ground, but also revealed a dramatic setback.
The team hit a massive rock buried deep underground that had to be dug out before they could continue. It’s a real look at the challenges behind creating safer schools and the determination to push through them.
Lewis and his team are pushing forward with determination.
"I am very happy about what is being done at the school. We are impressed." Principal Phungula said. "It is very exciting to have toilets that are flushable."
Watch the video below to see what the team has been up to.
Despite some challenges, the Big Favour and LottoStar's mission remained on track.
The Big Favour with Darren, Sky, and Carmen previously chatted to Breadline Africa about the three schools that will have their pit toilets replaced with proper, clean, safe facilities.
Lewis also revealed that the demolition of the old pit toilets at the schools has already been completed, and his team has begun building the new facilities.
Listen to the update about the project shared on East Coast Breakfast on Thursday, March 26, below.
The team is excited that pit toilets will soon be a thing of the past at more schools in the province.
The situation poses a serious health and safety risk for thousands of children, especially those who attend schools in disadvantaged communities.
Breadline Africa CEO Marion Wagner is working with the three selected schools to make sure everything stays on track. She previously expressed excitement that not two, but three schools will receive the life-changing Big Favour.
Initially, Breadline Africa thought it would be able to help two schools, but, together with LottoStar and East Coast Radio listeners, R1 847 500 was raised to help eradicate pit toilets in schools.
The three schools that will have their pit toilets demolished and replaced are:
- Maliphume Primary School
- Linwood Combined Primary School
- Songozini Primary School
Listen on East Coast Breakfast below:
The moment hope was restored
After days of intense work at the three schools, hope was finally restored at Darren, Sky and Carmen unveiled the completed project at Maliphume Primary School in Mid Illovo.
This was the moment where hope, dignity and peace of mind was restored for these young kids and educators. However, the most impactful moment came as a child of Maliphume Primary School flushed the toilet for the first time.
It was a moment that brought goosebumps to everyone witnessing it. Take a listen to the impactful moment here:
Shoprite Checkers makes a life-changing donation
The impact didn’t stop there. Darren, Sky and Carmen started the week with a huge surprise Shoprite Checkers.
They came on board with a generous donation, providing three pallets of Ritebrand 10s toilet paper (a total of 432 rolls), along with individual care packs for every learner, each including essentials like sanitary pads, shampoo, body wash, a toothbrush, and a face cloth.
It was a moment that went beyond infrastructure - restoring dignity, improving health, and reminding every child at the school that they are seen, valued, and cared for.
Take a listen to the incredible moment here:
For many South Africans, the phrase “pit toilet crisis” feels like something we’ve been hearing about forever.
Yet somehow, it keeps coming back into the national conversation.
So why are pit toilets still such a big issue in South Africa? Let’s break it down.
What exactly is a pit toilet?
A pit toilet (or pit latrine) is exactly what it sounds like: a deep hole in the ground with a structure built over it to act as a toilet.
In some parts of the world, properly designed pit latrines can actually work well.
However, the problem in South Africa has never just been the toilets themselves, it’s the dangerous and poorly built ones, especially at schools.
Some of these toilets have:
- Large, uncovered openings
- Weak structures that collapse
- No proper ventilation
- No handwashing facilities
In the worst cases, they’ve been life-threatening.
The tragedy that shocked the country
The issue exploded into the national spotlight in 2014 after five-year-old Michael Komape tragically died after falling into a pit toilet at his school in Limpopo
His death sparked outrage across South Africa and forced the country to confront something uncomfortable: thousands of schoolchildren were still using unsafe toilets every day.
Civil society groups, activists and lawyers pushed the government to take urgent action.
A national audit later revealed a staggering reality that more than 3,300 schools in South Africa were still using pit toilets.
Most of these were in rural provinces such as:
- Eastern Cape
- Limpopo
- KwaZulu-Natal
In many cases, these schools simply didn’t have access to proper water or sewer infrastructure.
Government promised to fix it
In 2018, government launched the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative to remove dangerous pit toilets from schools.
The good news is that significant progress has been made. Reports suggest that over 90% of the identified pit toilets have now been replaced with safer sanitation facilities.
Yet, the story doesn’t end there. Despite the progress, some schools still rely on pit toilets, especially in rural areas.
There are several reasons why, like:
- Remote schools are difficult to reach
- Water shortages make flush toilets difficult to maintain
- Construction delays and contractor failures
- Infrastructure backlogs in rural communities
Beyond the schools, millions of South African households still use pit latrines as their main form of sanitation.
Darren Maule shared a memory of his encounter with pit toilets and how it made him want to help.
This is what happened:
East Coast Breakfast takes a stand!
Darren, Sky, and Carmen have made a powerful decision this year, to take a stand against the pit toilet crisis affecting so many schools across KZN.
In partnership with LottoStar and Breadline Africa, the East Coast Breakfast team identified schools in our province where children are still forced to use unsafe, undignified pit toilets. It’s a reality no child should ever have to face.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of KZN and the success of LottoStar’s Santa’s Stash in December 2025, over R1.8 million was raised for The Big Favour. Now, that kindness is turning into something tangible - safe, clean, proper sanitation facilities for learners who deserve so much better.
This is more than just building toilets. It’s about restoring dignity, protecting young lives, and giving children the kind of school environment that allows them to learn, grow, and dream without fear.
Darren caught up with Maria Pavli, Chief Marketing Officer at LottoStar, and Marion Wagner, CEO of Breadline Africa; two passionate partners who have committed to walking this journey with us, helping turn hope into lasting change.
Listen to how that powerful conversation unfolded:
ALSO READ: When a promise lives on: ECR’s Big Favour brings new possibilities to Siphesihle High School
The pit toilet crisis is really about something bigger than toilets. It highlights the deep infrastructure inequality between urban and rural South Africa.
While many schools have modern facilities, others are still battling with basic services that should have been resolved years ago.
South Africa has made real progress in removing dangerous pit toilets from schools, but the conversation isn’t over yet.
Until every child has access to safe, dignified sanitation, the pit toilet crisis will remain one of the country’s most powerful reminders of the work still left to do.
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