Government-subsidised scholar transport in Mpumalanga has been severely disrupted after unpaid invoices and invalid contracts led to operators halting services.

"It hurts to see our kids walking in the rain. No one is telling us what's happening or when things will be fixed. Some have tried to walk to school, but they have to turn back because it's too far and the rain is too much. The heavy rains ruin their books and make them sick."

These were the words of a mother whose son makes use of government-subsidised scholar transport in Mpumalanga and has been left stranded after operators halted operations this week.

Subsidised transport in Mpumalanga assists about 60,000 learners from grades R to 12 in rural and farming communities who lack public transport.

Teboho Sekaledi, a DA member in the Mpumalanga Legislature, says transport operators across the province are grappling with ongoing challenges, primarily due to a failure to make payments by the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport.

Sekaledi cited a case in Middelburg where a scholar transport operator had neither been paid nor provided with a valid contract for the assigned route. As a result, the operator has been unable to transport learners to...