Mapaballo Borotho
- A scholar transport shutdown left Lenasia Model School almost empty, with only five learners attending out of 890.
- The action follows a Department of Transport operation to impound non-compliant vehicles after a deadly Vaal crash that claimed 14 children’s lives.
- Transport associations say the shutdown is for safety reasons, while parents are urged to make alternative arrangements as talks continue.
The scholar transport shutdown severely disrupted teaching and learning at Lenasia Model School on Friday.
Out of 890 registered learners, only five reportedly managed to make it to school.
This follows an operation by the Department of Transport on Thursday to impound all non-compliant scholar transport vehicles in the area.
The operation was conducted only after 14 children died this week in a crash involving a truck and a school transport vehicle in the Vaal.
The driver of the scholar transport remains in police custody after abandoning his bail bid. He is facing 14 counts of murder and negligent driving.
The accident has placed the spotlight on the operations of scholar transport services, with concerns that some are not permitted to ferry learners to and from school.
Meanwhile, the Greater South Scholar Transport Co-ordinators say associations around Lenasia agreed that no learner transport would operate following Thursday’s operation.
They claim the shutdown is for “the safety of our kids and our transporters” and hope the matter will be resolved before Monday.
Parents and guardians in Greater Johannesburg are being urged to make alternative arrangements as talks and meetings continue, with some posters warning that the shutdown could extend to Monday.
The transport organisation says its 31 member associations are protesting vehicles that were impounded and taken to the Benoni impound centre, alleging fines of around R5,000 and permits that are “stuck” at government offices.
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