Scholar transport organised by the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport for eMdibini Combined School learners were escorted back to Ermelo again by the Vukanini Taxi Association (Vukta).
Mpumalanga Scholar Transport collected learners on the morning of Monday, 4 September and transported them to the school, but before the end of school, Vukta arrived and escorted them back to Ermelo.
Learners were transported back by their local transport which has been transporting them for the past two years.
Some parents were disappointed by the behaviour of Vukta, while others said local transport should be allowed to continue until their contract expires.
Mpumalanga Department of Education’s spokesman, Mr Jasper Zwane, was contacted and was concerned for the learners who were affected by the squabbles between the two taxi operators.
He said there is however nothing that they can do, because the scholar transport is controlled by the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport.
The Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport could not be reached for comment.
The Echo was informed that the owners of Mpumalanga Scholar Transport advised the School Governing Body (SGB) of eMdibini Combined School to open a case against Mr Fanyana Sibanyoni, chairman of Vukta, but the SGB said they were afraid of him.
The newspaper was also informed that Mpumalanga Scholar Transport’s owners were getting a court interdict that will prevent Mr Sibanyoni from escorting the learners back.
Mpumalanga Scholar Transport was contacted and they said they were in Pretoria, but did not want to confirm whether they were there to seek the court interdict.
They only said they will engage the relevant departments to make sure they operate legally in the area.
Mr Sibanyoni said if the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport wants them out, they should tell them where to go because this is their area of operation.
He further mentioned that should the department feel that the buses are not safe for the learners, they should then subsidise them so they can get better buses.
“We should be given first preference as locals and they should also know that we operate according to a certificate, not court interdicts,” said Mr Sibanyoni.
Also read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/95377/taxi-operators-escort-learner-transport-back-ermelo/
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