16 Nov 2017

The Assistant Minister of Basic Education, Mr Moiseraele Goya has confirmed that there are two old asbestos ablutions at Motsumi Junior Secondary School in Letlhakane.

Answering a question in Parliament from Boteti East MP, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe, assistant minister said these ablution blocks were built in 1998 to reduce congestion as there were many students in boarding. Mr Goya however said asbestos poses as a health hazard as it may affect the lungs if inhaled overtime. 

Meanwhile, assistant minister said his ministry converted the brick pit latrines into water borne systems in 2012 and the asbestos ones were boarded, however, students continue to use them on their own volition.

He noted that he would ensure that they were demolished before end of March 2018.

He further explained that the new ablution block has four toilets, three of which were water borne and the fourth one was a pit latrine.

Mr Goya said students prefer to use pit latrine because the water pressure to the hostels was low.

Further, Minister Goya said the area experience low water pressure and government  would assess the cause of the problem to see how best the school could be assisted. 

If need be, he said, they would supply the school with a booster pump to be done before end of January 2018.

MP Lelatisitswe had asked the assistant minister if he was aware that there was still an ablution block at Motsumi JSS built from asbestos regardless of the dangers associated with asbestos. 

He had also wanted to know when this ablution block was built and what the dangers of asbestos to human life were.

Furthermore, the MP wanted the minister to state if it was true that the toilets could not be used because of low water pressure. BOPA