Children safety a concern after child dies
Community requests scholar transport from the education department for Booysens Primary school pupils after one of them was hit by a vehicle on the way to school.
Parents of children attending school at the Booysens Primary school are concerned about their children’s safety after one of them was recently hit by a vehicle on the way to school.
According to Pastor James Ndlovu from the Melusi squatter camp close to Claremont, it has been years since they asked the education department for scholar transport for their children as they live more than 5km from the school.
“Two officials from the education department came to the squatter camp to measure the distance the children walk from here to the school. The officials confirmed that the children walk more than 5km and they deserve to get a school bus,” Ndlovu said.
He said that since the visit from the officials in 2012 they have not heard anything from the department and now something tragic has happened.
According to the child’s mother, Mapule Keagile, he was hit on his way back from school.
“We are worried about our children’s safety. When my child was hit by a vehicle he had a head injury. This thing has affected most parents badly because we now have to accompany our children every morning to school and fetch them again in the afternoon,” Keagile said.
Pastor Ndlovu has been communicating with the education department about the problem with the scholar bus.
The department of education’s spokesperson, Phumla Sekhonyane, said that the department is aware of the request for scholar transport by the Melusi community.
“The scholar transport policy states that pupils who stay further than a 5km radius of a non-feepaying school will be considered for scholar transport. The department is in the process of verifying the distance between the school and the squatter camp.”
Sekhonyane said that the district will then make a submission to the head office for consideration of a scholar transport system for the children.
