The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in Gauteng says the rights of learners are being violated by the Department of Education’s failure to provide scholar transport services.
The organisation opened a case with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in Parktown on Tuesday, citing non-payment of scholar transport operators which has disrupted schooling across the province.
ANCYL Gauteng chairperson Ntsako Mogobe afterwards told Newsnote accountability must be enforced against those responsible.
“We are not opening a case against an individual, but against the department as a collective. Officials including the MEC, if he failed in his oversight role will have to explain themselves,” Mogobe said.
He added that the matter goes beyond internal party processes and constitutes a human rights violation.
“This is not about the ANC or the Premier. What we are dealing with is a human rights issue, the learners’ right to access education has been infringed,” he said.
Mogobe urged the Human Rights Commission to intervene and ensure justice for both affected learners and transport operators.
“This must never happen again. The department has deliberately disrupted learning and teaching by failing to pay service providers,” he said.
Several scholar transport operators have downed tools after going three months without payment.
Meanwhile, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane in a media briefing on Thursday said striking bus operators contracted to the department have received a portion of their outstanding payments and will be paid in full by the end of the week.
