Learners don’t have transport to school but ANC still protects those implicated in forensic report

30 August 2018

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West will write to the MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Mpho Motlhabane, requesting him to urgently pay scholar transport service providers, some of which have been outstanding for as long as seven months.

During the meeting by the Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management on Tuesday, 28 August, MEC Motlhabane implied that the service providers failed to produce the relevant documentation to qualify for payment.

This is a clear indication that the MEC is not taking responsibility for poor governance in his department. Proper procurement processes were not followed and the MEC needs to explain why documents such as tax clearance certificates were not produced before the service providers were appointed.

The non-payment of scholar transport service providers has far reaching consequences, leaving learners stranded and thus excluded from essential education.

The first quarterly report by North West Transport Investments (NTI) was also presented at the meeting. It clearly lacks substantial turnaround strategies, dashing all hopes of providing solutions to the scholar transport challenges in the province.

During their presentation it became apparent that the NTI were unable to reach the set targets for the first quarter. Instead of providing workable solutions, pressing issues were shelved to be dealt with in the second quarter of the financial year. This is a blatant attempt to cover up the long-term corruption that has tainted its image beyond repair.

The fact that the forensic report by Mochabapula Consulting Services on NTI has been outstanding since 2013 further supports the view that cronies are protected and the large-scale looting is hidden from the public at all costs.

The forensic report reveals how the NTI Board of that time shamelessly ransacked state coffers with dubious scholar transport deals and irregular purchases of buses from politically connected people.

Premier Job Mokgoro must now expose and criminally charge those implicated in the forensic report.

The people of North West deserve to know the truth about NTI and the DA will continue to push for transparency of State Owned Enterprises.

Our learners, especially in the rural areas are the direct victims the failing ANC. Only a DA-led government can bring the change and supply proper scholar transport.

Issued by SP Motswenyane, DA North West Spokesperson on Community Safety and Transport Management, 30 August 2018