Transport Unit impounds overloaded scholar taxi carrying 49 children
Officers attached to the City’s Transport Enforcement Unit were shocked when 49 children poured out of a taxi during a scholar enforcement operation.
Image: File
Barely a month after 14 school children tragically lost their lives in the horrific Vanderbijlpark crash, the City’s Transport Enforcement Unit has impounded a taxi carrying 49 children in Mitchells Plain.
This action follows calls from education watchdogs and civic organisations for a regulated scholar transport body to be established.
Kevin Jacobs, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Traffic Services, stated that the driver was found not to be in possession of a Professional Driving Permit (PDP), similar to the driver involved in the Vanderbijlpark incident, Ayanda Dludla, 22, who was also lacking this essential document.
Dludla is facing 14 counts of murder and is currently under investigation for potential charges related to reckless driving, while police are determining whether the vehicle was roadworthy at the time of the crash. It is alleged that Dludla overtook several vehicles and collided with a truck on the Golden Highway on January 19.
In response to the tragedy, the Gauteng government has initiated calls for improved regulation and oversight of scholar transport services.
“Officers attached to the City’s Transport Enforcement Unit were stunned when 49 children poured out of a taxi during a scholar enforcement operation,” explained Jacobs. The incident took place yesterday outside a primary school in Mitchells Plain," Jacobs said describing the impound of the overloaded taxi.
“The vehicle was impounded, and the driver was charged with not having a permit, overloading, and not possessing a Professional Driving Permit. Arrangements were made for alternative transport for the learners.
"Overloading endangers the lives of every person in the vehicle, as well as other road users. The TEU and enforcement officers will continue to clamp down on drivers who put lives at risk.”
Two years ago, six children died when the driver of an overloaded bakkie transporting learners lost control and collided with a tree and traffic light along AZ Berman Drive in Mitchells Plain.
Vanessa le Roux of Parents for Equal Education, who also facilitates learner transport issues, called for a regulatory body.
“In terms of learner transport, we must ensure that we know who is driving our children. Is this person reliable? Do they have a PDP? Do they have previous offences? Are they the regular driver?" she said.
“We, as parents, need to do due diligence on who we allow our children to travel with. We understand that it is a struggle for many parents, as some children have to use public transport.
Michael Jacobs of the Mitchells Plain United Residents Association (MURA) and the Lentegeur Community Policing Forum (CPF) echoed the call for stricter measures: “As the Mitchells Plain United Residents Association, we commend the City's Transport Enforcement Unit operation, whereby a taxi with approximately 49 scholars was apprehended. It is certainly necessary that vigorous enforcement of learner transport regulations be stepped up to save lives and ensure that drivers are compliant.”
The impounding of the taxi comes just days after Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku commented that scholar transport safety continues to be enforced through operations.“Our foremost concern is the safety of every learner who depends on transport to get to and from school each day. That is why we have strengthened our enforcement efforts during the busiest travel periods (06:00–08:00 and 13:00–15:00), placing particular focus on overloading, seatbelt use, driver fitness, vehicle roadworthiness, and valid operating licences.”
Targeted interventions have also included intensified monitoring of high-risk routes, increased oversight at known loading points, and enhanced intelligence-sharing with the Western Cape Education Department and municipal partners.
Sileku also urged parents to verify vehicle roadworthiness, driver licensing and sobriety, avoid overloaded transport, question unsafe behaviour, and report illegal operations.
The Cape Argus also reached out to Sileku’s office for comment about the impounding of the latest overloaded taxi but was told he was not available and would respond soon.
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