Amnesty International on pit toilet deaths: 'No child should die in such a horrendous way'

Last year, the heartbreaking list of innocent children whose lives were tragically cut short after falling into pit toilets grew with the addition of three-year-old Unecebo Mboteni, who drowned in a pit toilet at a creche.

His family say they are still waiting for answers.

Amnesty International South Africa is renewing its call for accountability following this recent tragedy.

The human rights organisation's Alicia Jooste says the government is failing to eliminate pit toilets in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres.

"I think sometimes it seems that we have de-humanised the system and forgotten that behind these tragic incidents are family members, parents, siblings, who have lost their children in one of the most traumatic ways that they possibly can.

"One of the last images the family said that they have of Unecebo is a nurse pumping his stomach, which was bloated and filled with faeces and urine from the pit toilet that he had fallen into.

"When we talk about justice and accountability, that is an image that sticks with the family for the rest of their lives.

"It's not something that you ever get over. No parent should ever be put in that situation.

"We are calling on the Department of Basic Education to do the bare minimum to ensure that no other child loses their life in such a horrendous way.

"They're illegal and they violate many human rights, including the right to dignity, safety, and privacy. In the case of Unecebo, the right to life."

Jooste points out that while audits have been conducted for primary and secondary schools, there is currently no recent national audit for preschools, which leaves toddlers most vulnerable.

The organisation is urging the Department of Basic Education to ban pit toilets entirely at ECD centres, conduct an urgent audit, and refuse to register any new facilities with unsafe sanitation.

To listen to Jooste in conversation with 702's Bongani Bingwa, click below: