Jim Mohlala|Published
The safety of Cape Town schoolchildren is under scrutiny after footage emerged of 34 children allegedly packed into a 16-seater minibus taxi, while a separate enforcement operation uncovered 16 children travelling in an unroadworthy Toyota Avanza.
The first video allegedly shows a scholar transport vehicle stopped near Jakes Gerwel Drive and Voortrekker Road on Tuesday morning, although the City of Cape Town could not confirm when or where the footage was recorded.
In the second incident, highlighted by Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis on Wednesday, October 21, the City impounded an Avanza with a broken windscreen, no registration and an unlicensed driver, leaving officials to arrange transport for the children.
City responds to scholar transport overloading
Traffic Services spokesperson Kevin Jacobs told IOL Media that the City’s Traffic Service conducts as many operations as possible to ensure compliance in the scholar transport sector.
“Officers issue fines where necessary, in line with national legislation as well as the City’s Traffic by-law,” Jacobs said.
He said officers also impound vehicles in certain cases.
“They will also impound vehicles where the driver does not have a valid operating licence.”
Jacobs said road safety remains a headache for the City and the country, but scholar transport has its own problems.
“Road safety in general remains a major concern not just in Cape Town, but South Africa as a whole.”
Jacobs said the sector was struggling with non-compliance.
“In terms of scholar transport, there are ongoing challenges with operators who do not comply with regulations, drive vehicles that are not fit for purpose or safe, overloading and more.”
Enforcement around schools is ongoing, according to the City.
“The Transport Enforcement Unit (TEU), supported by area-based staff members conduct ongoing operations at and around schools, which includes scholar transport operators.”
Parents urged to check school transport operators
Parents are urged to do their own checks.
“We implore parents to pay close attention to their choice of transport providers.”
Jacobs added: ”When you sign up, insist on meeting the driver, seeing their credentials and the vehicle that your child will be travelling in, for your own peace of mind, but also to help keep operators on the right side of the law.”
Mayor reveals second overloaded vehicle
On Wednesday, Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis took to social media to share details from a separate school transport enforcement operation, in which an Avanza was found to be carrying 16 children.
He said the City continued to impound vehicles and drivers breaking road laws and overloading children.
In the clip, Hill-Lewis described the state of the vehicle.
“16 children in this vehicle with absolutely no registration and a broken windscreen. A number of other things are broken on the vehicle. It's not safe and not roadworthy. There is no license for the driver.”
The vehicle was impounded, and the City had to step in to get the children home.
“This vehicle is a danger to these children.”
The mayor said the children’s safety was the priority.
“These [children] are the most precious cargo. We want to make sure that they are safe.”
He said the operations would continue.
“Don’t put children’s lives at risk. We will not allow this.”
IOL Media reached out to the Western Cape Mobility Department, but no response had been received by the time of publication.