- Mayco Member for safety and security JP Smith and the Provincial Minister for mobility Ricardo Mackenzie joined the scholar transport operation between Strandfontein and Tafelsig in the vicinity of several schools, seeing 19 vehicles impounded, on Thursday 18 January.
- Following the horror crash that claimed the lives of six school children in May 2023, a spotlight had been placed on school transport safety.
- In 2023, the City’s Traffic Services conducted 61 operations focusing on scholar transport across the metropole.
A scholar transport driver found to be driving an unroadworthy vehicle under the influence of alcohol was arrested during a joint operation in the area on Thursday 18 January.
Mayco Member for safety and security JP Smith and the Provincial Minister for mobility Ricardo Mackenzie joined the scholar transport operation between Strandfontein and Tafelsig in the vicinity of several schools, seeing 19 vehicles impounded.
Following the horror crash that claimed the lives of six school children in May 2023, a spotlight had been placed on school transport safety.
A bakkie transporting six primary school learners and one high school learner to several schools in the area lost control after allegedly running a red traffic light. Children were flung from the bakkie with gruesome images flooding social media.
In 2023, the City’s Traffic Services conducted 61 operations focusing on scholar transport across the metropole. These interventions resulted in 238 vehicles being impounded and 5 407 fines issued for a range of transgressions.
The drunk driver was transporting 23 learners aged between 10 and 15 at the time of the arrest.
A key challenge remains the number of drivers transporting children without the necessary permits and qualifications.
“Providing a service without the necessary operating licence is one thing, but even more scary and disconcerting is the number of people who get behind the wheel without a professional driving permit, or even a driving licence. It is absolutely mind-boggling, and speaks to a complete disregard for the young lives in their care. Add overloaded and unroadworthy vehicles to the mix, and you have a recipe for potential disaster,” says Smith.
“The situation is compounded by the fact that there is such a high demand for scholar transport, coupled with a lack of understanding of the law, which allows unscrupulous operators to fly beneath the radar, until they’re involved in a collision, or are caught by our traffic officers. My appeal to the public in 2024, is to familiarise themselves with the requirements for scholar transport operators, and to report anyone who is not operating legally, for the sake of our children.”
In terms of the law, there are two main considerations for scholar transport operators – driver fitness, and vehicle fitness.
Drivers have to be in possession of a valid operating licence, driving licence and professional driving permit (PrDP).
Vehicles should not be older than 12 years, must be registered and licenced in the Western Cape, must have a special ‘vehicle fitness’ certificate and undergo roadworthy testing every six months, and must be fitted with a seatbelt for every passenger, and a car seat for each child younger than three.
Western Cape Provincial Traffic Officers and the Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) worked alongside the City of Cape Town to check operating licences and vehicle and driver fitness.
“There are strict requirements for transporting learners. To ensure that children are safe while travelling to school, transport operators must comply with these requirements. It is also important for parents and schools to understand the requirements and immediately report any concerns about unsafe or illegal transport operators,” says Mackenzie.
During the current financial year, Provincial Traffic Officers have conducted 314 operations targeting scholar transport, stopping and checking 13 282 vehicles, and issuing R3 571 850 worth of fines.
“These statistics demonstrate how enforcing scholar transport is an ongoing priority for us. In 2023, the PRE approved over 1 500 applications for operating licences to transport learners. Our mission is to improve mobility in the Western Cape, and our teams work extremely hard to create an enabling environment for industry, while ensuring safe and reliable transport for commuters.”
The PRE can be contacted on 021 483 0270, enquiries.wcpre@westerncape.gov.za or in person at the Vangate Shared Service Centre in Athlone (office hours: 07h30 to 16h00).
