49 children in scholar transport taxi in Cape Town, driver charged

Cape Town law enforcement officials were left shocked after at least 49 children poured out of a scholar transport taxi.

Officers attached to the city’s Transport Enforcement Unit (TEU) stopped the scholar transport during an enforcement operation on Wednesday.

Overloaded

The incident took place outside a Mitchells Plain primary school.

Cape Town Traffic spokesperson Kevin Jacobs said the vehicle was impounded and the driver was charged with not having a permit and overloading.

“Arrangements were made for alternative transport for the learners. Overloading endangers the lives of every person in the vehicle, as well as other road users.

“The TEU and enforcement officers will continue to clamp down on drivers who put lives at risk,” Jacobs said.

ALSO READ: Lack of law enforcement has brought ‘scholar transport service to its knees’, Creecy says

Lenasia blitz

Last month, during a blitz inspection of scholar transport in Lenasia, The Citizen discovered an overloaded Suzuki Ertiga with 14 scholars. The vehicle is only licensed to carry 7 passengers.

A bus, which was licensed to carry 60 learners, was also overloaded with 98 learners and was stopped during the operation.

Roadworthy tests

In January, the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport said scholar transport pre-test inspections revealed alarming non-compliance by operators, with 94% of vehicles failing the test.

The department said the inspections were part of its ongoing campaign to improve the safety of scholar transport and enforce compliance with road traffic regulations.

ALSO READ: Nine schoolchildren injured in Durban scholar transport crash

Scholar transport

Scholar transport has come under scrutiny after 14 children tragically died in a head-on crash with a truck on the R553 Golden Highway in Vanderbijlpark two weeks ago.

A 22-year-old scholar transport driver was arrested in connection with the deaths.

Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy and her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, said the lack of law enforcement operations has brought the country’s scholar transport service to its knees.

ALSO READ: Tshwane cracks down on illegal scholar transport vehicles