North West province has been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons over scholar transport issues. SAHRC had issued strict orders with tight deadlines following its damning report into widespread rights violations in the province’s scholar transport.

The report issued on Monday (19/1) exposed failures in the scholar transport programme, mentioning weak oversight, poor enforcement, and governance lapses across several government departments.

Thousands of qualifying learners are deprived of transport, forcing them to walk long distances, arrive late, or drop out of school entirely, according to the report.

For learners who do have transportation, most services use overcrowded, unroadworthy cars that frequently break down. North West community safety and transport management MEC Wessels Morweng is expected to clarify when and how the HRC remedial action will be implemented, said departmental spokesperson Oshebeng Koonyaditse.

The update comes after North West department of community safety and transport management met with concerned operators who render scholar transport services privately on Monday (26/1). The meeting came after discontent was raised by some operators in and around Mahikeng due to their vehicles being impounded during recent law enforcement operations.

“Since the reopening of the schools three weeks ago, the department embarked upon operations across the Province, focusing mainly on contraventions such as speeding, roadworthiness and overloading of transportation carrying learners. Many of the vehicles impounded were found to be operating illegally, either having defects or not complying with legislation that classifies vehicles for public transport services.

“The department is of the view that there is a significant knowledge gap generally amongst unorganised scholar operators regarding regulation in the sector, along with requirements to acquire necessary operating licences (OL) and Professional Driver Permit (PrDP).”

The department said it realised that many of the vehicles operating as private scholar transport do not fall within the allocated categories of the National Land Transport Act and the Road Traffic Act. While operators also conceded that they were not aware of the requirements per the regulations.

The department reiterated its stance on non-conditional business standards by operators ferrying the public and learners.

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OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi mvh