North West Legislature demands accountability on scholar transport

The Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management in the North West Provincial Legislature, led by Chairperson Freddy Sonakile, has taken a no-nonsense approach to scholar transport oversight. In a bold move, the Committee conducted unannounced inspections at Jerry Mahura Secondary School in Ntswanahatse Village, Taung, this morning with Traffic Law Enforcement Officers on site.

The decision was driven by alarming discoveries in previous oversight visits, where buses were found to be unroadworthy and non-compliant, despite repeated assurances from the department that monitoring was being conducted.

The latest oversight, reinforced by traffic law enforcers, exposed yet another round of shocking violations. One bus was immediately discontinued due to severe safety risks, with multiple charges laid against it, including:

• Worn-out tyres
• No operating permit
• No route permit
• Driver without a Professional Driving Permit (PDP)

Further inspections uncovered even more infractions. Another bus, along with two Iveco vehicles operating at the school, saw their drivers slapped with fines for expired licenses, expired vehicle discs, and other regulatory breaches. Among the most alarming discoveries was a bus carrying 90 learners, far exceeding capacity while transporting a 20-litre container filled with diesel.  It was also found with broken seats, a clear hazard for young passengers.

The Portfolio Committee commends the swift action taken by traffic law enforcers during this oversight. “However, these findings underscore an undeniable truth: the Department has failed in its duty to ensure the safety of scholar transport. Despite repeated warnings and ongoing concerns, there is still no sign of the promised audits.
“Some of the buses are registered in the Northern Cape with that province’s registration numbers,” said Hon. Sonakile.

The Committee has resolved to convene a Scholar Transport Service Providers Public Hearing to hear their side of the story and gain insight into the challenges they face. This will be a crucial step in understanding where the system is breaking down and how to fix it.

Once engagements with service providers are complete, the Committee will table a resolution in the Legislature proposing consequence management against those responsible for this ongoing crisis. Scholar transport safety is non-negotiable, and accountability must be enforced without exception.

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