North West Legislature Committee on Transport Management Calls For Zero Tolerance on Non-Compliant Scholar Transport

The North West Legislature Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management, chaired by Hon. Freddy Sonakile, today conducted Day 1 of unannounced oversight visits in the Dr Ruth Mompati District to assess compliance with scholar transport regulations.

During the course of the day, the Committee visited Tshipietsile Secondary School, Kgononyane Secondary School, and concluded at Louwna Primary School.

The Committee was satisfied with the condition and compliance of scholar transport buses at Tshipietsile Secondary School and Louwna Primary School, where vehicles were found to be roadworthy and compliant with regulatory requirements.

However, serious non-compliance was identified at Kgononyane Secondary School. Challenges included expired vehicle licence discs, resulting in traffic enforcement officers, who formed part of the oversight team, issuing the necessary fines.

Of greater concern was a bus that was operating without valid documentation and was severely overloaded, transporting more than 110 learners daily, carrying hazardous liquids, thereby placing learners’ safety at significant risk.

During the oversight, the bus driver absconded, prompting the Committee to request the immediate impoundment of the vehicle. The Department was further instructed to arrange alternative transport to ensure learners could return home safely.

The Committee has formally requested the Department to invoke the revocation clauses in the Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the affected service provider and to submit a detailed report on the actions taken.

The oversight concluded with an engagement with scholar transport drivers at Kgononyane Secondary School, during which the Committee uncovered labour-related concerns, including:
• Non-payment or delayed payment of drivers
• Drivers operating without formal contracts
• Lack of registration for employment benefits

While these matters fall contractually between the service providers and individual drivers, the Committee emphasized that such practices negatively reflect on the Department and undermine service delivery standards. The Committee will therefore request the Department to engage the Department of Employment and Labour to investigate compliance with labour laws within the scholar transport programme.
The Committee will continue its unannounced oversight visits tomorrow.
Ends