There are 836 schools across the Eastern Cape that have been positively identified as containing asbestos, placing tens of thousands of school children at risk of developing respiratory problems and even cancer.
The cost of removing this dangerous material has been estimated at a staggering R3,8 billion, but the cost of doing nothing in terms of an unfolding health crisis is immeasurable.
Despite the risks to our children’s health, even though the Department now has an accurate picture of the extent of the work needed to be done, it is pleading poverty, with only 12 schools having had any remedial action done to remove the asbestos.
Even more concerning is that the risks of exposure increases with time, as the older the material gets, the more likely it is to be damaged, wear down and become friable, releasing the Asbestos fibres into the air.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be conducting oversight inspections at some of the schools that have been identified. I will also be writing to the Portfolio Committee of Education chairperson, to request that the Department be called to present the Asbestos report and turnaround plan to the committee.
Last year, in response to a parliamentary question from the DA, Education MEC Fundile Gade revealed that his department did not have an asbestos policy and had not determined the amount required to replace the asbestos structures.
MEC Gade’s latest response once again blames budget shortfalls for the lack of action, citing that the Department had not received sufficient budget to eradicate the structures, stating that the only time asbestos was removed was on running projects where the substance was found.
Gade notes that the total cost estimate is nearly twice the allocation for the total Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG) for three financial years. He said the Department has put a three-year plan in place for schools that are suspected of having inappropriate material to be monitored.
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However, over the past five financial years MEC Gade’s Department has returned over R1.2 billion in infrastructure funding to Treasury because it failed to spend the money.
• 2018/19 – R500 million
• 2019/20 – R134 million
• 2020/21 – R183 million
• 2021/22 – R291 million
• 2022/23 – R100 million
Had his Department prioritised this issue when it first came to light, these funds could have been allocated to remedial work and would have made a substantial dent in eradicating this dangerous substance.
The DA will continue to fight to rescue the children of this province from the uncaring ANC government and to ensure that they are able to go to school in a safe environment that does not place their health at risk.