The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) expresses deep concern over the situation faced by hundreds of primary and secondary pupils in the Eastern Cape who have been left stranded due to the failure of scholar transport services. Given the reports that pupils in other provinces such as Limpopo and North West were also left without transport during the first week of schools re-opening, it is most probable that other learners are also affected by the same crisis across all rural provinces.
In Kuyga, Nelson Mandela Bay metro, over 900 pupils have been left waiting in vain for transport, while in Humansdorp and St Francis Bay, approximately 100 students faced a similar predicament of being unable to reach their schools situated 25 km away.
This troubling situation unfolds just days after the Eastern Cape Transport Department (ECTD) introduced a new automated scholar transport technology to help manage the scholar transport system. Despite the department’s assurances that the new system would lead to a more efficient scholar transport service, the reality on the ground paints a starkly different picture.
SAFTU recognizes the potential benefits that will be brought by the new automated system. However, the problems of learners left stranded are not primarily due to the lack of an automated system but are a consequence of the inefficiency of government officials by not paying service providers and not renewing scholar transport contracts timelessly. For instance, the community leader of Kuyga, Lina Mpondo, confirmed that transport owners are not fetching learners because they are not being paid.
Furthermore, the lack of infrastructure such as bridges and roads, which again highlights the inefficiencies of government, poses a significant challenge for thousands of learners who qualify for scholar transport. For example, learners from eNgcobo in the Eastern Cape cross a river, facing a daily 25 km journey to school without adequate means of transportation. These students endure hardships like wet uniforms and fatigue, increasing the challenges of learning. In the context of the high crime rate in South Africa, walking long distances exposes them to criminal elements.
The current crisis underscores the urgent need for immediate solutions to ensure uninterrupted access to education for learners.
Therefore, SAFTU calls on the Eastern Cape Government to provide scholar transport uninterruptedly to disadvantaged learners. It is of vital importance that the system intended to facilitate efficient scholar transport fulfills its purpose, ensuring that no child is denied their right to education due to lack of transportation.
