NW government’s scholar transport system continues to place the lives of learners at risk
26 July 2023
The DA is concerned by the ineptitude displayed by the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management when it comes to the safety of children making use of the scholar transport system in the province.
On Friday, 21 July, a Grade-R learner, Lethabo Goralotse, suffered injuries after he was reportedly pushed from a moving bus in Extention 25, near Vryburg. He was allegedly forced to commute in an overloaded bus with older learners. According to reports, the bus driver refused to stop despite the learner passengers raising an alarm.
While this might seem like an isolated case, North West scholar transport has faced serious problems. The DA's request early last year to the Department to conduct a scholar transport audit was ignored, this while learners continue to be exposed to dangerous situations on buses that put their lives in danger.
The MEC's indication that a team of monitors have been employed in all school districts and that observance of compliance is done on an unplanned basis does not seem to work.