MAHIKENG, North West Province — Over 500 North West scholar transport operators are facing severe punitive measures, including potential contract termination, after failing to present their vehicles for mandatory safety inspections last week. The North West Department of Community Safety and Transport has declared that the grace period for excuses has officially ended, signaling a rigorous enforcement campaign against non-compliance in the learner transportation sector.
Out of the more than 900 buses currently contracted to ferry learners across the province, a mere 431 were presented for the second annual vehicle inspection. This compliance drive was directly triggered by a January report from the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). The commission’s findings painted a grim picture of the sector, warning that learners’ lives were in jeopardy due to unroadworthy buses, chronic overloading, shattered windows, and vehicles operating without valid permits or license discs.
Molefi Morule, the acting Head of Department for the North West Department of Transport, stressed that these checks are non-negotiable components of existing service level agreements. Expressing frustration over the dismal turnout, Morule noted that ensuring seamless and roadworthy services for the public is paramount.
“The time of explaining is over,” Morule asserted, adding that the department will execute every intervention permitted by their contracts to rectify the situation. While he clarified that contract termination is viewed as a final resort, he emphasized that official correspondence has already detailed the exact consequences for continued non-adherence, leaving zero room for further violations.
However, financial hurdles remain a significant barrier for some service providers. Lerato Mahlakoleng, a local bus operator who successfully passed the compliance assessment for her two vehicles last Thursday, pointed to systemic payment delays as a primary reason for the industry’s low turnout. She explained that many of her colleagues operate up to 70 kilometers outside of town. Due to outstanding payments, these operators simply lack the funds to purchase diesel for the round trip to the testing facilities, which directly contributed to the widespread absences recorded from the beginning of the process through last Friday.
To enforce compliance and safeguard learners, the department has confirmed that traffic officers will be actively deployed on roadways throughout the province. Their mandate is to proactively identify and apprehend any scholar transport vehicles operating outside the bounds of the newly enforced safety regulations.
