Limpopo school bursting with joy over water supply

Infrastructure

The 162 learners at Junction Primary School, in the citrus producing valley of Tzaneen, Limpopo, don’t have to depend on the nearby Mahela Farm for a weekly water supply anymore.

Thanks to the Department of Basic Education, the school now enjoys its own supply of water in the form of a borehole and water tank.

With the new water supply, the school is also running its own vegetable garden and has bought a lawn mower from the proceeds of vegetable sales.

Ablution facilities have also been constructed at the school as part of the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery programme.

The programme is aimed at providing schools with basic infrastructure.

Aspects of the programme include:

• 510 schools that were built, with inappropriate structures being replaced with brand new schools that meet the department’s standards of basic functionality.
• 939 schools that previously did not have any access to sanitation will be supplied with a basic level of sanitation.
• 932 schools will get electricity for the first time.
• 1145 will be provided with basic water supplies for the first time.

In the 2011/12 financial year the department appointed the Mvula Trust to carry out an assessment of water and sanitation facilities at schools.

Junction Primary School was one of the schools earmarked for the implementation of water and sanitation projects. In total, 78 schools were assessed and verified, of which 38 were selected for water and 40 for sanitation projects.