Central SA
Parents need to play proactive role in scholar transport safety─── ZENANDE MPAME 09:51 Sun, 11 Jan 2026
As the new school term gets underway, renewed attention is being placed on the safety of scholar transport on the country’s roads.
Authorities and child safety advocates warn the daily journey to and from school remains one of the most dangerous parts of a learner’s day. Parents have been urged to play a direct, proactive role in safeguarding their children’s daily commute to school.
With road traffic injuries still among the leading causes of injury and death for children aged five to 14, organisations stress parental vigilance is the first line of defence against unroadworthy vehicles and unlicensed operators.
In 2024, children in this age group accounted for 5.61% of the 12,172 people who died on South Africa’s roads. “This figure is unacceptable,” said Road Traffic Management Corporation spokesperson Simon Zwane.
“Many of these deaths could have been prevented. Parents must understand road safety starts at home before a child gets into a vehicle that transports them.”
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said the final phase of the December to January road safety campaign is focusing squarely on scholar transport. She confirmed dozens of buses are undergoing rigorous testing of their brakes, gears, and overall roadworthiness.
Creecy welcomed the establishment of a dedicated enforcement unit in the North West to police scholar transport, warning operators against substituting compliant vehicles with unsafe ones.
“Bus companies that replace inspected roadworthy vehicles with unroadworthy ones will be caught, as law enforcement now patrols villages and schools where such cheating has occurred in North West.”
Parents are also urged to guard against overloading, to ensure every child has a seatbelt, and to insist on passenger liability insurance. Clear communication with operators, including emergency contact details and accountability structures, is important, said the RTMC.
While law enforcement continues to monitor scholar transport, parents need to conduct a basic walk-around of vehicles.
“If a vehicle appears unroadworthy or does not look right, make alternative arrangements,” said ChildSafe South Africa executive director Zaitoon Rabaney.
“We want to warn transporting learners in the back of bakkies or open trucks is illegal and life-threatening.”
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