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PHUTI MOSOMANE
SCHOOLS are not doing enough to monitor and report unroadworthy scholar transport vehicles to authorities, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said in an exclusive interview with Inside Education on Monday.
“In just one day, we took off the road through a special operation 61 unroadworthy learner transport vehicles including buses carrying pupils. This is just in one area in the Western corridor,” Chiloane.
“Schools must report unroadworthy vehicles transporting learners immediately. Do not wait for an incident. I asked a principal in one school to explain as to why given that at one point a vehicle got stuck, and kids got to school late because the transport was not roadworthy- and still no one reported the vehicle.”
Two weeks ago, a bus overturned, leaving two pupils dead in Wedela, Carletonville.
At least 63 other pupils were injured in the crash.
A Grade 8 boy and a Grade 10 girl from Wedela Technical High School lost their lives.
“We will have an engagement with all stakeholders. Apart from having policy, there has to be monitoring of compliance. We are having challenges because of lack of monitoring on compliance including on contracts,” Chiloane added.
He said there was a need to move away from allowing just anyone who has a car to transport learners without following any process.
“If you have a car, and learners- you are done. You are transporting kids to the school. We can’t work like that. This makes it difficult to ensure safety of the transport, and schools on the other hand need to know who is transporting learners.”
Chiloane said that in a short period of time, his department was able to replace unroadworthy vehicles on provincial roads.
He said more monitoring teams will be deployed across the province in a short period of time.
He said the department has since sent a communication to all schools for more proactiveness on the matter.
Visit www.insideeducation.co.za for more on the conversation with Gauteng MEC of Education regarding his vision and plans.
INSIDE EDUCATION