ALL they want to do is get to school so they can get an education – but their skorokoro ride to school is a potential death trap.
And to make matters worse, the buses that transport pupils to and from school in the North West also tend to deviate from their planned route.
Concerned parent Jane Moitsi (48) said she has had to take her 16-year-old child off the school bus and paid a special taxi while she was attending school at Kgaphamadi Secondary School last year. “They’re totally wrecked inside. The children don’t even have proper seats to sit on.”
She said her daughter always complained about the dust that came into the buses because there are holes in the floor. “I had to make a plan because my daughter is asthmatic. The department must get other buses because the lives of children are in danger,” she said.
While the children’s lives are in danger, officials and the bus drivers seem to be fighting about payments and conditions.
Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Sello Lehari said some of the transport operators often abandon routes without good reason and without informing the department.
“Officials regularly work with the operators to iron out challenges.
“Yet, these operators run to the media and parents and claim they are owed money while our records show they have been paid,” said Lehari.
Late last year, Lehari called the senior management of the Transport Operations Directorate to prepare for the school opening in January. They agreed that operators would sign contracts with the department to operate a certain number of buses.
“Operators often don’t claim according to the contracts which causes delays in payments,” said Lehari.
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He indicated that several unroadworthy buses were impounded last week by law enforcement, and several fines were issued.
North West Department of Education spokesman Elias Malindi said the department doesn’t deal with learner transportation.
“The Department of Community Safety and Transport Management is responsible for appointing contractors and the day-to-day travelling of learners to and from these schools in North West,” said Malindi.
