MBOMBELA – The Mpumalanga Scholar Transport Organisation (MSTO) has decided once again to halt all transport of learners to and from schools.
This harsh decision was made after the organisation held a meeting on Sunday September 21 at which members agreed to stop their bus services until the millions of rands supposedly owed to them were settled in full.
“We have decided to stop ferrying learners to and from schools because we had been lenient with the departments of education and transport for too long.
Nobody seems to care about us. How can one expect us to service the buses and pay for fuel if we are not paid what is due to us?
“We have decided not to return to work until we are paid in full,” said the organisation’s spokesperson, Mr Koos Nkosi.
When asked if they were concerned about the future of the learners, especially matriculants who would start their final examinations soon, Nkosi said, “It’s been years of worrying about the learners.
“No one worries about us, our own kids are also affected. I think the blame should be shifted to the Department of Education.”
The MSTO also raised concerns over the inconsistency of the education and transport departments, and the Office of the Premier.
According to Nkosi at the last meeting on July 29, between the two MECs and their HODs, the agreement was that they should be given six weeks to engage in the
process of settling the long-overdue debts of R400 million, which had been owed to the service providers since 2006.
Nkosi said the departments further committed that in a space of two weeks they would convene a meeting between the MSTO and the two main contractors in Gert Sibande and Ehlanzeni regions respectively to intervene in the working terms between the contractor and the service providers.
“On September 8, which marked the last day of the six weeks requested by the two departments, we were suprised to find out that they postponed the meeting without any rational explanation,” he said.
He said a meeting scheduled for September 17 was again postponed for no apparent reason.
Mr David Nkambule, spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, said they were surprised by the organisation’s decision to halt operations. He alleged that the group, who claimed to be owed by the departments, had no contracts and hence there were rumours of the other group intimidating those who had contracts, hence the disruptions of scholar transport this week.
“However, the two MECs agreed to meet with them on Monday to give them feedback,” Nkambule said.
