Traffic services are calling on scholar transport operators to go about their business legally by ensuring their vehicles are roadworthy and not overloaded on trips, employ licensed drivers and obtain the necessary permit that enables them to provide their services.
This renewed appeal comes after a vehicle with 19 child occupants was flagged down by traffic officers as part of an ongoing scholar transport operation last Wednesday morning (11 October) and in recognition of National Transport Month. The packed Suzuki sedan was pulled over by dedicated men in blue in Link Road, opposite Lourensia Park in Somerset West, during peak morning traffic.
According to Kevin Jacobs, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Traffic Services, the car was among numerous scholar transport vehicles stopped and checked for roadworthiness, overloads and the validity of their permits along Link Road. “The vehicle was impounded for transporting children without a valid permit,” he said. “The driver was charged for being an unlicensed driver and [because] the vehicle was overloaded. No arrests were made.”
A loyal DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette reader, proud Helderberger and avid letter-writer, Emmy Holliday, wrote to the paper lauding the basin’s traffic officers for their service excellence.
“I’m writing to inform the residents in the Helderberg area of the excellent work being done by Mr Nico de Kock, Principal Inspector: Traffic Operations Safety and Security, and his team in the basin.
“For the past few months Traffic Services has conducted interventions in Somerset West, looking at minibus-taxi transgressions and taxi operators as well as private vehicle owners, claiming to be scholar-transport operators, but flouting the law and road regulations to the extreme. One such incident was the impoundment of a private five-seater vehicle that transported 19 scholars all at once! There have also been taxi impoundments and traffic fines issued to those breaking the law.”
Holliday said they also needed to be commended for keeping users safe on the roads. “We salute them,” she added.
The operation success comes in light of National Transport Month (marked from 1 to 31 October), which calls for the protection of society’s youngest travellers on the road. Regulation 213 of the National Road Traffic Act 1996 mandates the secure fastening of children under three years old in car seats while travelling, while all occupants, including children, must be restrained by a seat belt in a vehicle. Locals are urged to prioritise the correct car-seat usage by considering the following tips as offered by Dis-Chem Baby City’s FMCG Executive Ronald Govender:
1. Choose the right car seat
Always select a National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS)-approved car seat that has adjustable features and is appropriate for your baby’s age and weight.
2. Harness the importance of installation
Car seats are proven to reduce injuries and deaths in children, but are effective only if they are installed and used properly.
3. Opt for essential car seat accessories
Choosing the appropriate car seat is not about stylish looks, but maximising comfort, safety and convenience for your little traveller.
