A heavily overloaded Cape Town minibus-taxi carrying a total of 34 learners was stopped earlier this week on one of the city’s busiest intersections, the corner of Voortrekker Road and Jakes Gerwel Drive in Goodwood, on Tuesday 20 October.

In a one minute and 37 second video clip shared with TygerBurger later that day a woman can be heard counting the children as they alight from the taxi one by one. The learners are clothed in different school uniforms.

The video also shows the minibus’ licence disc, which appears to have expired on 31 August, and number plate. Also on the front of the vehicle is a sticker that reads “Prayer Works”.

Education Department

TygerBurger contacted the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to enquire whether it had been informed or notified of the incident.

In response, spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the video depicted learners getting out of a private vehicle and private learner transport is not regulated by the department.

She said regulation, licensing and enforcement falls under the City of Cape Town’s Urban Mobility Directorate and Law Enforcement.

“The WCED continues to encourage schools and parents to report unsafe or illegal private operators and remains committed to working with the Urban Mobility Directorate, to support safer learner-transport options across the province and raise awareness of legal requirements for scholar transport.”

Hammond said the head of the directorate had previously written to schools urging principals to report illegal or unsafe operators.

She also said schools had been provided with relevant law-enforcement contact details.

“The Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) also conducts outreach, training and assistance to help operators become licensed and complaint,” said Hammond.

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Advice

The WCED also shared advice for parents when utilising private transport for their children:

• Make sure that the operator holds a valid operating licence to transport learners;
• Check that the vehicle is not overloaded;
• Make sure that the driver of the vehicle holds a valid driving licence and a professional driving permit;
• Check that the vehicle is properly licenced and that there are no glaring defects;
• Listen to your child and ask them about the driver’s behaviour on the road;
• Report any serious concerns to the PRE;
• Don’t allow your child to be transported by another driver that the one you agreed on;
• Don’t allow your child to be transported on the back of a bakkie.

TygerBurger is still waiting on the comment from the City of Cape Town, on whether their Law Enforcement, Metro Police or Traffic Services had been informed of the overloading minibus-taxi.

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