Human School Bus, Road Safety volunteers keep children safe
Kwatsaduza – Four volunteers have set out to protect learners from motorists on the busy Vlakfontein Road separating KwaThema and Langaville.
This is being done through the Vlakfontein Road Human School Bus, Road Safety initiative.
According to the volunteers, this came about after the occurrence of numerous fatalities on this road in the past few months.
Read: Volunteer at Vlakfontein Road saves lives
“We officially started the project on September 9 with the main aim of assisting locals, especially learners and seniors moving across the busy road.
“This was because there was a high number of people being killed on the road.
“What was more devastating for us as the community was that as the number of road fatalities was rising rapidly, it was involving mostly junior pedestrians,” says volunteer Thokozane Zondo.
“From there we took a decision to call Provincial Community Safety (Road Safety Promotion) for assistance.
“Shortly thereafter Superintendent Nomkhithi Mtshali, the principal road safety officer working in the area, came to assist us.
Read: New road construction for KwaThema
“We then started a system in the mornings and afternoons of creating a line where adults stand in the front, children in the middle and other adults at the back to help the children across the road.
“Hence the name Human School Bus,” says one volunteer, Busi Sibeko.
The team adds that they have knocked on a lot of doors, including road engineers, the South African Police Service and businesses, for sponsorship.
Unfortunately, no one has come forward to assist them.
“We are in need of reflectors, jackets, caps, pockets and pens to report incidents in and out of duty.
“This will help to ensure that we are able to continue with the necessary work,” says Sibeko.
Some of the challenges faced by this group include lack of respect from drivers, lack of uniforms, lack of street lights, and lack of speed humps, among other things.
The volunteers do, however, thank the Provincial Community Safety and EMPD officers who always avail themselves to help them.
Learner Sihle Simelani (17) from Zimisele Secondary School says as school learners they use the road daily. But the challenge is that motorists don’t stop for them even when they reach the stop sign.
“In the mornings we end up late as the drivers don’t wait for us to cross the road.
“We really thank these volunteers because since they have been here, things have been better,” he says.
Ben Jwaga (64) expressed the same sentiments as the young people.
“These four volunteers are making a huge difference and are really helpful.
“We truly thank them for what they do for us and wish that they could be paid for their work,” he says.
The team works on the Vlakfontein Road from 6.30am to 8am and from 2pm to 3.30pm daily.
Anyone who can assist the volunteers can contact Sibeko on 074 423 3443 or Zondo on 073 378 1796.
