During an oversight visit to Boschpoort Combined School in the Ngaka Modiri Molema District, part of the Legislature’s Oversight Week programme, members of the committee voiced concern over the disregard for learner safety by some transport operators.

North West Provincial Legislature spokesperson Namhla Luhambe said the committee assessed 16 vehicles used to transport approximately 202 learners from nearby farms. 

While regular checks are conducted by traffic officers, past inspections had already flagged significant non-compliance, resulting in about 20 service providers being charged and nine buses being discontinued from transporting learners.

The buses are not safe for transporting children. Photo: Facebook 

Despite these interventions, troubling signs of repeated violations emerged.

She said the same bus was found operational during last week’s oversight and was immediately impounded. It was in a severely unsafe condition, with a diesel container inside the vehicle, torn seats, exposed wiring, and a faulty steering wheel that posed a serious risk to passengers.

The committee instructed the service provider to arrange an alternative, roadworthy vehicle to ensure learners could get home safely after school.

 Meanwhile, a different transport operator was caught transporting about 46 learners in an Iveco minibus only licensed for 26 passengers. This blatant overloading was flagged as a major safety hazard.

The exposed wiring of the bus. Photo: Facebook 

Committee member Smuts Matshe issued a strong warning to irresponsible operators.

“It is unacceptable for service providers to prioritise profit over the safety and lives of our children. Scholar transport must be safe, reliable, and compliant with the law at all times. We will not tolerate operators who blatantly disregard regulations and put learners at risk.”

The oversight visit comes against the backdrop of a broader investigation by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which launched a probe in March into systemic failures in North West’s scholar transport system. 

This investigation was prompted by alarming reports that over 9,000 learners in the province had been left without access to scholar transport.

The portfolio committee has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that learner transport is not only accessible but also safe and fully compliant with national road safety standards. 

The committee has called for tougher enforcement measures and accountability for those operators who continue to put children’s lives in danger.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi