Hundreds of scholar transport operators are marching to the offices of Gauteng Transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela to voice their concerns over what they describe as newly imposed requirements by the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport.
The protest is primarily led by members of the Benoni Education Scholar Transport Association, who say the department has introduced stricter regulations for private scholar transport operators following a tragic accident in Vanderbijlpark, which claimed the lives of 14 children.
The operators argue that the new rules unfairly penalise them for an incident that involved government scholar transport. John Chauke, speaking to media on behalf of the association, said: “That accident is punishing all scholar transport operators in South Africa. The vehicle involved was government scholar transport. Why are private operators being targeted now?”
The demonstration comes after a scheduled meeting between the operators and MEC Diale-Tlabela was cancelled last Sunday because the venue could not accommodate the large number of participants.
The department has recently intensified its compliance campaign, impounding vehicles deemed not roadworthy. Among the new requirements, operators must:
- Obtain authorisation letters from schools
- Ensure vehicles are roadworthy
- Have formal contracts with parents or guardians
While operators say they support safety measures, they insist they need more time to meet the new requirements.
The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport maintains that these measures are essential to ensure the safety of children using scholar transport services.