Mpumalanga department accused of failing to pay scholar transport providers R3.3m

Mpumalanga department of public works, roads and transport is accused of failing to pay scholar transport service providers.

Scholar transport is a pupils’ transport initiative introduced by the department of education some years ago and later transferred to the department of transport.

The aim of the project is to make transport available to pupils from indigent backgrounds who were walking for more than five kilometres to school.

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In Mpumalanga, the programme is targeting pupils based in rural areas and on farms. The service provider who rendered the service of transporting pupils around the Gert Sibande district between February and July claimed he tried in vain to compel the department to settle more than R3 million unpaid invoices.

Legal action

Sibusiso Nkosi, from a company known as M.P.S Tours, wrote a letter to the department giving them seven days to process the payment or face legal action.

According to his letter, he was considering taking the legal route after the department could not give reasons why it was delaying the payment.

In a letter seen by The Citizen, Nkosi said: “Please be advised that we have all necessary proof of service including the approved schools lists from the respective schools where pupils were transported. These lists are stamped and confirmed by the school principals, substantiating that the services were provided as per the terms of the contract.”

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“Given that payment for the service has been unreasonably delayed, we hereby formally demand that the outstanding amount of R3.3 million be paid in full within seven days of receipt of this letter.

“Should payment not be made within the stipulated period we will have no option but to pursue legal action to recover the debt, including but not limited to interests on the overdue amounts and any associated legal costs.”

Transport department denies claims

Department spokesperson Bongani Dlamini denied the allegations and said: “The allegation that the department is failing to pay scholar transport operators in time is far from the truth.

“The said organisation should have issued the statement based on facts rather than issuing incorrect and misleading information.

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“All contracted and correct invoices received from scholar transport operators are paid within 30 days. The company has taken the legal route. The matter is thus sub judice.”

The DA in the province urged the department to immediately address the issue to avoid pupils being without transport.