Parents in Chris Nissen Park and Nomzamo are outraged after their children were refused access to scholar transport due to a ticket issue.
However, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is urging patience as the department is finalising approvals for the transport service.
Chaos ensued in Chris Nissen Park on Monday 2 March as learners hurled stones at the Overland Tours bus after being told they could not board, as they were not ticketholders. Across the N2, township parents boycotted the transport service by preventing learners, with or without tickets, to board the bus until the WCED provided access to all.
Ward 86 councillor Xolani Diniso said the problem affected learners from Chris Nissen Park, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Nomzamo and Lwandle, who are enrolled at Danie Ackermann and Somerset West Methodist primary schools as well as Gordon High School.
Diniso said it is alleged Gordon High and Danie Ackermann Primary applied for more than 800 tickets, but only 400 were apparently approved.
Judith Mbolambi, a parent, expressed dismay as her eight-year-old son was forced to walk to their Chris Nissen Park home from the school last year.
“This all because he did not have a ticket. Now, the whole saga is repeating itself again this year.”
She kept her child at home last Tuesday (24 February), fearing the Grade 3 learner would either be hit by a car on the N2 highway or kidnapped. Mbolambi further expressed her frustration at the WCED’s problematic ticket issuing, claiming it is slow and confusing.
“The WCED is failing our children. Why don’t they communicate what the problem is by addressing the affected parents?”
Overland Tours, the transport company contracted by the WCED, acknowledged parents’ frustration but, on enquiry, said tickets ensure learner safety.
Apparently, 142 learners from Ward 86 (Lwandle and Nomzamo) were affected by the ticket issue, prompting Diniso to call an emergency meeting with the schools.
“We were informed that the schools want the learners in attendance, but they are subject to the WCED authorisation procedure,” said Diniso.
Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said officials were processing the learners’ applications and clarified that the reason unauthorised learners were not permitted onto the buses was due to the priority of learner safety and auditing concerns.
According to WCED’s Circular 0013 of 2024, 4.2, the system is a monitoring method.
“This will allow bus monitors to identify learners who are authorised to board a vehicle at the school in the afternoons quite easily. Should a learner not be in possession of a form of identification, the bus monitor must report this to the principal or delegated official, who must promptly arrange for the submission of an online Learner Transport Scheme application for the inclusion of the learners on the route, should the learners qualify to be transported.”
Hammond confirmed that the principals of the local schools submitted their lists of learners.
“The department’s bus committee is reviewing the lists.”
She, however, pointed out that the department needed time to complete the necessary approvals and documentation, as required by law. “Many of the new applications are of learners who applied for the first time this year.”
Hammond noted the WCED was in contact with Diniso as the representative of the community.
At a meeting held with all the relevant role-players last Wednesday (25 February), Overland Tours agreed to allow all learners to board the busses until Friday 28 February.
However, the ticket system was reinstated on Monday 3 March, leaving parents fuming and demanding that the WCED provided all learners with the scholar transport tickets.
