South Africa: Eastern Cape Taxi Shutdown Will Leave Learners Stranded

12 January 2023
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Zavela Makwabe

Taxi operators, taxi alliances and the Eastern Cape Bus Council in East London have resolved to shut down the province on the day schools reopen next week.

Taxi operators who provide scholar transport services claim that they were last paid in September.

An announcement by the Transport Department revealed that there were no funds to pay them before April.

"The decision has been taken due to the failure of the provincial ANC-led government that continues to victimise and exploit scholar transport operators and further fail to honour resolutions taken when engaged on these issues," said Gabs Mtshala, Santaco provincial coordinator in the Eastern Cape.

He said their demands include immediate payment of the outstanding three months' invoices as well as proof that the transport department will honour payment of services for the first three months of the new year.

They also ask that the terms of the contract between government and transport providers be amended with aspects like the state of the roads being taken into account.

Mtshala said instead of helping them prosper, the provincial government was destroying their livelihoods.

Scholar transport operators demand to be told the names and number of learners. "The Department of Transport is fully aware that they are paying for approximately 100,000 learners whilst we are transporting approximately 130,000 learners," said Mtshala.

"In 2023 it has been announced that the number of learners paid will further be reduced to 87,000 learners. This implies that if they are able to disclose the number of learners to be transported, they must provide lists and names."

Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose admitted that there were problems, which the department hoped could be solved within the seven days remaining before schools open in the Eastern Cape next Monday.

"We are committed in making sure that those we owe money and those who have rendered services to the department will be paid so we can avert any possible strike," he said.

Pictured above: Children entering school bus

Image source: Department of Transport

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