By Lebone Rodah Mosima
The Mpumalanga government has ordered officials to urgently resolve problems with scholar transport after the introduction of new contracts left learners stranded and triggered protests in parts of the province.
The provincial departments of Public Works, Roads and Transport and Education said outstanding problems should be addressed before the end of this week following the introduction of the new scholar transport contracts, which they said came into effect on 1 September.
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The departments convened a high-level joint meeting on Sunday to assess the rollout and the disruptions that have followed it.
That meeting was directed by Public Works, Roads and Transport MEC Thulasizwe Thomo and Education MEC Lindi Masina.
The intervention follows complaints from several communities since the new arrangements took effect.
More than 200 learners in Spelanyane and Buyelani in the KaBokweni area were reported to have been left without transport for three days earlier this month after several operators allegedly lost their routes under the new contracting system.
Residents barricaded roads with burning tyres on 4 September, demanding the provincial government step in. The Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport said at the time that the contracts had been awarded through a formal tender process to operators who met the tender requirements.
Learners and community members in Vukuzenzele near Delmas also protested on 3 September over complaints that some pupils had been left behind and that buses were not reaching parts of their designated routes.
The procurement process covered five-year scholar transport contracts in Mpumalanga’s Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande and Nkangala districts.
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The two departments said on Monday that despite the disruptions, scholar transport was operating “normally” in most parts of the province, while acknowledging that problems had affected some learners.
“The meeting therefore adopted a coordinated and solutions-driven approach to address these challenges,” the departments said.
“This includes closely monitoring the developments on the ground, identifying areas requiring immediate intervention, and putting in place practical measures to resolve outstanding challenges.”
Officials from both departments have been instructed to strengthen monitoring, engage directly with affected schools and communities and work with scholar transport operators and other stakeholders to resolve problems.
The departments appealed for cooperation and constructive engagement while officials work to resolve the problems.
“The identified challenges must not be allowed to undermine the broader mission of ensuring quality education and creating an enabling environment in which every learner can learn and thrive,” the departments said.
“The safety and wellbeing of learners remain paramount and every effort is being made to ensure smooth operations of scholar transport in the Province,” the departments said.
The government also appealed to affected communities not to resort to intimidation, threats, violence or deliberate disruption of scholar transport operations.
“Such actions place learners, drivers, operators, and members of the public at risk and undermine the collective responsibility to protect the right of learners to education.”
