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- Almost 4,000 schools in South Africa have structures made from or containing asbestos
- The education department has missed its own deadline to eradicate asbestos from schools by seven years
- The use and trade of asbestos is banned in South Africa because of its health risks
Nearly 40% of the 3,912 schools in South Africa partially or entirely built of asbestos are in the Eastern Cape. In KwaZulu-Natal, almost 1,000 schools have asbestos structures that need to be replaced or rebuilt.
Under the Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure, the education department was committed to eradicating asbestos from schools by 29 November 2016. Asbestos was often used in construction as it is strong and fire resistant, but its use and trade was banned in 2008 as the fibrous material can cause lung problems and cancers.
— 4 September, 2023Subscribe to the weekly newsletter for more charts like this
