Central SA
Free State education department apologises as thousands of learners are stranded─── ZENANDE MPAME 15:47 Thu, 09 Apr 2026
The Free State department of education has acknowledged the ongoing scholar transport crisis and apologises to learners, parents, and service providers.
The department says urgent interventions are underway, including fast-tracking outstanding payments and engaging with the provincial treasury to prevent further disruption to schooling. A total of 10,000 learners were left stranded on the first day of the second term.
The DA has called on the MEC for education, Dr Julia Maboya, to urgently restore transport services, warning that the ongoing crisis is denying learners their constitutional right to basic education.
The party says the situation stems from unresolved contractual disputes and the continued failure to pay transport operators, some of whom have not received payment since January.
“As a department, we can’t walk tall and be proud about this situation of non-payment,” said Free State education spokesperson Howard Ndaba.
“We therefore want to take this opportunity to apologise not only to the Free State learner transport service provider, but to the parents, to the learners, and the community at large.
“A meeting was held with the HOD of education and treasury, and they agreed that they will facilitate and fast-track the issue of payment of this service provider because indeed they are critical in our education ecosystem.”
Therefore, they’ve agreed that learner transport providers will receive their payment next week Friday, he said.
The DA said it has submitted formal questions and will escalate this matter with urgency, as the impact is most severe on learners from rural and farming communities, where local schools have been shut down, and transport is the only means of accessing education.
“Denying these learners transport is effectively denying them an education, condemning them to a future of poverty and limited opportunity,” said Free State DA education spokesperson Jafta Mokoena.
“The party has repeatedly warned, including during the recent adjustment budget debates, that the department’s budget allocation is inadequate and unsustainable. The current situation confirms these concerns and raises serious questions about financial mismanagement.
“We would not be surprised if more service providers resort to legal action as the department continues to fail in meeting its obligations, he said.
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