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The Independent Democrats (ID) Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, Mr Rodney Lentit says traffic officials must be held liable for the failure of public transporters and operators to abide by traffic laws and regulations.

This follows an official reply by provincial Minister of Transport and Public Works Robin Carlisle to a Parliamentary question asked by Mr Lentit (copied one below) with specific reference to the transporting of learners to and from school.

‘I am very concerned that school children are transported daily in privately arranged public transport vehicles such as bakkies and minibus taxis to and from schools. Most of these vehicles are visibly a road hazard, as they are above all overloaded,’ says Mr Lentit.

‘The department has confirmed that the Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) has developed a generic set of operating conditions in respect of learner transport which are compulsory for all scholar operating licences. This is to ensure the safe transportation of learners.

‘Transporting of learners by pickup trucks (“bakkies”) is common in and around the Metro. Since the PRE does not issue operating licences for this means of learner transportation, it is an even greater worry that a large number of bakkies are used for this purpose.

‘It is not only unsafe as it lacks the general safety regulations of fixed seating, but in most cases the bed of these bakkies are overloaded with learners,’ stresses Lentit.

‘I’m sure that many of these vehicles lack the most basic requirements as stipulated in the conditions of the Provincial Regulatory Entity which includes copies of learners’ birth certificates, and or ID, a first aid kit, a valid PDP and the supervision of an adult apart from the driver.’

Lentit says it is crucial that traffic inspections are carried out on a regular basis to avoid worst case scenarios which may be fatal for learners.

‘I will monitor this process by doing regular follow ups with both the Minister of Transport and Public Works and the provincial Minister of Education in an attempt to have the existing regulations enforced.

‘I appeal to parents and school governing bodies to rule out the option of transporting learners to and from school by bakkies,’ Lentit says.