The Gauteng Legislature Portfolio on Education said it noted with concern the number of accidents involving scholar transport.
This year alone, over 12 children died in scholar transport while on their way to school.
On Monday, 42 learners from Relebogile Secondary School in Carletonville were involved in a scholar transport accident.
Six of the learners sustained injuries, while two of them suffered serious fractures as a result.
“We are deeply concerned about the well-being of the affected learners and we will ensure they receive the necessary medical care. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families during this challenging time and we wish learners speedy recovery,” said Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture & Recreation, Mr Matome Chiloane.
Chairperson of Gauteng Legislature Portfolio Committee on Education, Moipone Mhlongo, said the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) provides scholar transport to over 210 000 learners.
“Any number of children would find themselves involved in accidents is a concern to the committee. We call on GDE to ensure that all service providers comply with the rules of the road and those that are caught in the wrong side of the law should face the full might of the law,” said Mhlongo.
She further called on the department to consistently conduct routine inspections in scholar transcripts to ensure the safety of learners.
Mhlongo said the Committee will request the department to submit a report on how they will curb challenges faced by scholar transport moving forward.
Roads and Transport spokesperson Lesiba Mpya also said there is a definite concern with the noticeable frequency of learner transport accidents to some fatalities.
Mpya said there are interdepartmental collaborative efforts between departments of Community Safety, Roads & Transport and Economic Development to ensure safety and reliability of service and thorough law enforcement.
“We have been impounding unroadworthy vehicles and prosecuting non compliant drivers with offences as stipulated in the National Land Transport Act read together with National Road Traffic Act,” said Mpya.
“As a provincial government, we hold the lives of the young learners in high regard and believe their protection and development guarantees the country of its future, we condemn in the strongest possible terms any violation of the rules of the road and non-compliance.”
DA Gauteng spokesperson for Education, Sergio Dos Santos, said learners continue to be at risk as the GDE fails to review and implement the scholar transport policy.
Dos Santos said in July 2024, Chiloane acknowledged the fundamental flaws in the scholar transport policy and committed to overhauling it.
He said while the DA was encouraged by this move, this incident highlights that there has been no follow-through on this commitment.
Dos Santos said the MEC announced that he will be initiating discussions on enhancing scholar transportation safety. However, three months have passed without any update on the policy review.
“The DA demands that the MEC for Education deliver on its promise to evaluate and implement the scholar transport policy. We will write to the MEC to ascertain when the engagements will be conducted and demand the timelines with regards to the implementation of the policy,” said Dos Santos.
The Star