"When the drain problem started last year, the school principal called plumbers who told us that the problem was the tree roots that had grown on the sewer pipe making it difficult for the water to flow easily."
The teachers said the situation was reported to the provincial education department which promised to come to the school but never arrived.
One of the cleaners, said every time they flush, the waste would come out from the toilet bowl. "We are using buckets to flush the four blocks of toilets that have about four to five toilets each because the flushing system is not working as our taps were stolen.
"The sewage was worsening as the water was flowing closer to the classrooms, especially in the grades R, 2 and 3 block.
"I am glad that they were sent home, the situation was not conducive for them," she said.
Khensani Masango, SGB chairperson, said they were worried about the children's safety when they decided to close the school.
"We are hoping for the situation to be solved before Monday so that pupils can come back to school," Masango said.
Education department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department is aware about the situation at the school.
"It has been found that there are tree roots that have grown into the sewer line and thus creating blockages in the system. The department has appointed a contractor to firstly pump the overflow out of the area to be able to dig and gain access to the sewer line," Mabona said.
"This will then be followed by cutting the roots out and then replacing the old and worn out vitrified clay pipes with PVC pipes to resolve the situation. It is anticipated that it will take up to three weeks to do the works."
Sewage spillage closes school
Growing tree roots have collapsed a drainage system at Nomini Primary School in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg, causing sewage to spill since October.
Children at the school have been enduring raw sewage spewing out of drains with the dirty green water having traces of faeces in front of their classrooms. Maggots have now blocked the toilets.
On Thursday, parents shut down the school, saying the spillage posed a health risk to the 1,400 pupils at school.
Yesterday, only a few parents, cleaners and school governing body (SGB) members were at school.
One of the teachers, who asked not to be named, said the problem started in October.
"We have about 14 pupils from grade R to 4 who got sick as a result of this sewage. They had diarrhoea, were vomiting and some suffered from skin rash," the teacher told Sowetan.
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"When the drain problem started last year, the school principal called plumbers who told us that the problem was the tree roots that had grown on the sewer pipe making it difficult for the water to flow easily."
The teachers said the situation was reported to the provincial education department which promised to come to the school but never arrived.
One of the cleaners, said every time they flush, the waste would come out from the toilet bowl. "We are using buckets to flush the four blocks of toilets that have about four to five toilets each because the flushing system is not working as our taps were stolen.
"The sewage was worsening as the water was flowing closer to the classrooms, especially in the grades R, 2 and 3 block.
"I am glad that they were sent home, the situation was not conducive for them," she said.
Khensani Masango, SGB chairperson, said they were worried about the children's safety when they decided to close the school.
"We are hoping for the situation to be solved before Monday so that pupils can come back to school," Masango said.
Education department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department is aware about the situation at the school.
"It has been found that there are tree roots that have grown into the sewer line and thus creating blockages in the system. The department has appointed a contractor to firstly pump the overflow out of the area to be able to dig and gain access to the sewer line," Mabona said.
"This will then be followed by cutting the roots out and then replacing the old and worn out vitrified clay pipes with PVC pipes to resolve the situation. It is anticipated that it will take up to three weeks to do the works."
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