The Midrand Learner Transport Association (MLTA) says any of their drivers found to be blatantly ignoring road rules and putting learners’ life at risk will be slapped with a hefty fine.
Although not all drivers, but most motorists including taxi drivers and sometimes, scholar transport drive on the sideway in Halfway Gardens’ Seventh Road.
The association’s public relations officer Phil Pillay said they will not let those drivers involved in reckless driving go unpunished.
He said the association prioritised the learners’ safety as it was their only bread and butter for surviving these difficult economic times.
“Look, I am not here to protect our drivers who are doing that [reckless driving] while carrying the kids. But there are a lot of dynamics involved because sometimes the problem starts at home when a child takes about 10–15 minutes to come out the house,” said Pillay.
“From there on, we have a problem, because now they must be at school on time so to avoid them being locked out, then that’s when our drivers do that just to get the learners on time because of that earlier delay.”
Pillay urged parents to play their role in making sure that they prepare the learners to avoid being late for school because of traffic on other roads around the area.
MLTA’s training officer Lucky Mmusi said they will deal with the owners and drivers who are found ignoring the road rules and they will be slapped with a hefty fine.
“We have a disciplinary committee within the association that is aimed at ensuring that our drivers abide by the rules of the road. On June 3, we will be interrogating the vehicle owner seen in the picture you took. The owner will be given a fine and warning for rash driving,” said Mmusi.
He said the schools and parents can also play a huge role by reducing reckless driving by opting for pointsmen at busy roads, and scholar transport rather than physically dropping them off.
Mmusi concluded that the association tried to hold road shows with parents but only a few people turned up.
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