DA: West Rand schools still using asbestos buildings despite promised removals

Hundreds of learners at two West Rand schools are still being taught in ageing asbestos structures, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on 3 June 2026, accusing the Gauteng Provincial Government of failing to deliver on promises to remove hazardous school infrastructure.

DA raises concerns over Randfontein and Toekomsrus schools

The DA said the allegations relate to Randfontein Secondary School and Toekomsrus Primary School in Toekomsrus, in the Rand West City Local Municipality. The Citizen sent questions to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) for comment, but had not received a response by the time of publication.

Oversight, funding and reported hazards

DA Gauteng shadow MEC for education Sergio Isa Dos Santos told the party’s sitting in the Gauteng Legislature that Infrastructure Development and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Jacob Mamabolo was unable to give a clear answer about delays in removing asbestos infrastructure.

“[Mamabolo] repeated the government’s hollow commitment to asbestos eradication, with no clear timeline or end in sight.”

The DA said the GDE previously allocated about R112 million for rehabilitation and asbestos-related infrastructure upgrades at Randfontein Secondary School. The party said a recent DA oversight inspection found unresolved safety concerns, including an incomplete administration block, unfinished bathrooms, falling ceiling panels and staircases without safety bars.

Construction that may leave asbestos exposed

The DA alleged that some interventions involved constructing brick-and-mortar structures around existing asbestos classrooms instead of fully removing the asbestos, and that many of these structures have deteriorated or collapsed, “exposing learners and educators to cracked and broken asbestos panels.”

Overcrowding and classroom conditions

The party also raised concerns about overcrowding at Randfontein Secondary, saying some Grade 8 classes have learner-to-teacher ratios of 1:50 and certain Grade 11 classes have ratios as high as 1:73.

Toekomsrus Primary: old mobiles and roof problems

According to the DA, asbestos infrastructure remains at Toekomsrus Primary School. The party said some mobile classrooms are more than 30 years old and require replacement, and that sections of the school’s roofing need urgent maintenance.

Dos Santos said the department assessed the school two years ago, but “no work has been carried out.”

“It is outrageous that the GPG continues to drag its feet on eradicating asbestos schools despite the well-known deadly health risks linked to asbestos exposure,”

the DA said.

What happens next

The DA has publicly questioned the GPG’s progress on asbestos eradication and disclosed inspection findings. The Citizen sought comment from the GDE; no response had been received by publication time.