POLOKWANE – A bus transporting 66 passengers was stopped by traffic officials on the N1 between Makhado and Polokwane earlier today.
The officials received a tip-off by an anonymous caller, thought to have been a passenger on the bus.
According to a statement by the Department of Transport, Media Liaison Officer Mike Maringa said the bus was stopped before it entered Polokwane.
“The bus was overloaded and Covid-19 safety regulations had not been followed for those on board. The driver was arrested for having loaded more passengers than the maxim capacity of the bus, which is 35,” the statement reads.
Maringa says the passengers were not sanitised when they entered the bus.
“The driver paid a fine at the Polokwane police station and was instructed to arrange alternative transport for half of the passengers in the bus,” added Maringa.
Transport MEC, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya applauded the swift action by traffic officials and urged commuters to report any traffic and lockdown regulation violations to assist in curbing the spread of Covid-19.
“I said last week that non- compliance will not be tolerated. We issued fines in Tzaneen for similar violations and people continue to undermine our efforts of preventing the spread of Covid-19. We will act against transgressors,” Lerule-Ramakhanya concluded.
