From defective brakes to overloading: How scholar transport violations place pupils at risk

Recent scholar transport-related incidents and a national report exposing numerous safety violations in South Africa have put intense pressure on compliance issues. 

On Friday morning, the Durban Metro Police Service Strike Team and South Region Isipingo members conducted a Vehicle Check Point on the M35 Umbumbulu Road. 

“During the operation, a school transport bus was stopped and found to be overloaded with eight additional learners. One learner was seated on a bench placed in the passage, leaving no space for safe movement, placing the children at serious risk. The driver was charged accordingly,” the Durban Metro Police Service said. 

A child died last Wednesday when a scholar transport minibus taxi overturned in Mount Moriah, KwaMashu, Durban. Fourteen other children from daycare schools were injured and later treated at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital. Later, the scholar transport driver handed himself over to the police. 

Earlier last week, the Road Traffic Management Corporation reported that despite fatal crashes and increased enforcement, many private scholar transport operators continue to violate passenger regulations.

Recent checks of 5,386 scholar transport vehicles found 1,028 violations. Most non-compliant vehicles (589) were privately owned, followed by parent-contracted (146), Department of Transport (95), and Department of Basic Education (11) vehicles, plus seven school-owned.

Common infractions included lacking permits, drivers without or unable to produce licences/PDPs, and vehicle defects (tyres, brakes, lamps). Enforcement issued 500 fines, impounded 219 vehicles, and discontinued two. Most transgressors were aged 18 to 35.

National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) general secretary Matakanye Matakanya called on the government and the departments involved in scholar transport to stop public infighting and focus on safely transporting children to and from school. He said there was an urgent need to ensure compliance and implement consequence management when non-compliance occurs, finally making school transport safe for children.

Matakanya said non-compliance is money-driven: “You may find that there are cars that are used for transport that are not roadworthy. Then there is the issue of overloading.” 

He said a person who transports 10 children must service the car, refuel, and pay the driver. They believe that adding another 10 children will cover these costs and generate a profit.

“These are some of the things that end up injuring, killing, and destroying our children because of money-driven decisions,” Matakanya said. 

He added that parents are failing children by prioritising cheaper, non-compliant scholar transport over safer, compliant, but more expensive options. 

KZN Parents Association chairperson Vee Gani said some taxis try to maximise profits by trying to do repeated loads in a short space of time.  

“When you hear of accidents involving school children, it’s those taxis that are driving irresponsibly, it is either that they are rushing for a load, or they are going against traffic,” Gani said. 

He said that the authorities must conduct roadblocks and make all the necessary checks and that penalties must be severe enough to discourage the act entirely, as this is the only path to accountability.

“Taxi bosses and taxi owners must ensure that all their vehicles are regularly checked. All their vehicles are compliant, the drivers have PDPs, are licensed and the vehicle must be in good roadworthy condition,” Gani said. 

He clarified that transport includes more than just taxis; it also covers vehicles transporting children to school and private vehicles operating as taxis, saying that he was not singling out the taxi industry.

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