KZN Transport MEC Siboniso Duma inspecting vehicles with officials. Picture: KZN Department of Transport
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) government has taken a fifth of their scholar transporters off the road.
In preparation for the reopening of schools on Wednesday, the province’s Department of Transport inspected the fleet that provides government-assist transport for learners.
The department inspected 245 minibuses, with those failing having been subsequently removed from the road.
The minibuses inspected provided transport to learners who would otherwise be required to walk several kilometres to one of the 433 schools serviced by the operators.
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The department inspected 150 vehicles in Pietermaritzburg, while a further 145 were inspected in other regions of KZN.
“A total of 47 buses have failed and removed from transporting learners tomorrow. This is part of saving future leaders,” stated KZN transport MEC Siboniso Duma on Tuesday.
The MEC stated that the department was happy with the overall readiness of the fleet, but would continue to monitor the vehicles.
“We have mandated the Road Traffic Inspectorate and other law enforcement agencies across the province to be on full alert and do spot checks.
The fleet is part of a provincial programme to provide transport for underprivileged learners who do not have reliable transport to and from school.
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Getting to the classroom has also proved problematic for rural communities in KZN due to heavy rains damaging roads, bridges and homes, said the department.
“Despite limited resources, we are making all efforts to turn around the situation. Teams from transport and human settlements departments are doing assessments of damage and doing verification of affected families,” said Duma.
The MEC stated the programme assists just over 75 000 and envisions the number doubling, however, admitting that it would come at a cost.
“Lastly, it is our hope that in the coming year, we will get more budget to provide scholar transport to more than 157 538 learners who are on the waiting list,” stated the MEC.
“The budget required for this purpose is estimated at R1, 6 billion,” he concluded.
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