A new law has been passed; transporting children at the back of bakkies is now illegal. The law, aimed at keeping children safer on our roads, came into effect last Thursday.

The legislation was put forward because too many learners have been injured or killed in crashes involving bakkies.

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It does not end there; the Transport Department will be reviewing other laws due to the countrywide increase in the number of road accidents. The new road rule was not well received by local motorists, who transport school children in bakkies.

A local motorist who uses a bakkie to transport children to and from school, to extra-curricular activities and back home, said that this law has left them feeling helpless.

According to the motorist who would like to remain anonymous, they have not have had a single accident in their many years of transporting children.

“We are making an honest living and have built strong relationships with the children. My passenger’s parents begged me to transport their children at one stage; saying they feared and did not trust the reckless taxis and bus drivers,” added the motorist.

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