With the school year underway scholar-transport operators are advised to stay within the confines of the law.
In 2023, the City of Cape Town’s Traffic Services conducted 61 operations focusing on scholar transport across the metropole.
These interventions resulted in 238 vehicles impounded and 5 407 fines issued for a range of transgressions.
During an operation on Thursday 18 January, Traffic Officers impounded at least 19 more vehicles.
One scholar-transport driver was arrested for drunken driving, and his vehicle was also found to be unroadworthy.
He was transporting 23 learners aged 10 to 15 – the driver was detained at Mitchells Plain Police Station.
In October, DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette reported on a renewed call for scholar-transport operators to go about their business legally after a vehicle with 19 child occupants was flagged down by traffic officers as part of an ongoing scholar-transport operation and in recognition of National Transport Month (“Traffic officers do their job”, 18 October 2023).
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 on Wednesday 11 October.
The car, which was among numerous scholar-transport vehicles stopped and checked for roadworthiness, overloads and the validity of their permits was impounded for transporting children without a valid permit. The driver was charged for being an unlicensed driver and [because] the vehicle was overloaded.
A key challenge remains the number of drivers transporting children without the necessary permits and qualifications.
“Providing a service without the necessary operating licence is one thing, but even more scary and disconcerting is the number of people who get behind the wheel without a professional driving permit, or even a driving licence. It is absolutely mind-boggling, and speaks to a complete disregard for the young lives in their care. Add overloaded and unroadworthy vehicles to the mix, and you have a recipe for potential disaster.
“The situation is compounded by the fact that there is such a high demand for scholar transport, coupled with a lack of understanding of the law, which allows unscrupulous operators to fly beneath the radar, until they’re involved in a collision, or are caught by our traffic officers. My appeal to the public in 2024, is to familiarise themselves with the requirements for scholar transport operators, and to report anyone who is not operating legally, for the sake of our children.”
In terms of the law there are two main considerations for scholar transport operators – driver fitness, and vehicle fitness.
Drivers have to be in possession of a valid operating licence, driving licence and professional driving permit (PrDP).
Vehicles should not be older than 12 years, must be registered and licenced in the Western Cape, must have a special “vehicle fitness” certificate and undergo roadworthy testing every six months, and must be fitted with a seat belt for every passenger, and a car seat for each child younger than 3.
Parents and caregivers have a right and duty to request the credentials of their service providers, to check the vehicle complies with the specifications set out, and report any transgressions to the Provincial Regulatory Entity at the Shadow Centre or via the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre by dialling 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline.
