Lack of law enforcement has brought ‘scholar transport service to its knees’, Creecy says

Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy and her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, say that the lack of law enforcement operations on scholar transport has brought the country’s scholar transport service to its knees.

This comes after 13 young children tragically died in a head-on collision involving a scholar transport on the R553 Golden Highway in Vanderbijlpark on Monday.

Shock

Officials confirmed that the professional driving permit (PDP) of the driver arrested in Monday’s tragic Vanderbijlpark private scholar transport accident expired last year.

Creecy and Hlengwa expressed their shock at the horrific crash.

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Law enforcement

The minister’s spokesperson Collen Msibi said Creecy and Hlengwa instructed traffic law enforcement agencies, including the RTMC National Traffic Police, to intensify their law enforcement operations with a specific focus on scholar transport throughout the country.

“They have stressed the fact that these enforcement operations must intensify the focus on overloading, roadworthiness and speeding, all of which were central to saving lives in the previous year and over the festive season.

“They have also made a clarion call to the scholar transport operators as well as buses and taxi associations to get their act together or face the full might of the law,” Msibi said.

Zero-tolerance

Msibi said a week ago, Creecy and Hlengwa embarked on a back-to-school campaign with a specific focus on scholar transport.

“Out of that campaign, they have underlined that the government will adopt a zero tolerance attitude to lawlessness and non-compliance by private operators and drivers of learner transport.

“They have, in addition, taken a decision to embark on an unannounced law enforcement blitz in schools to conduct scholar transport inspections, starting this week,” Msibi said.

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National policy

Creecy and Hlengwa stated that their department is in the final stages of reviewing the National Learner Transport Policy to address crucial issues related to learner transport safety and access to reliable scholar transportation.

“The policy will be presented to the Cabinet for approval in due course. However, they have stated that unroadworthy vehicles have nothing to do with the policy. Operators and associations must obey the rules of the road and ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy,” said Msibi.