THE South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), Brighton Beach police and Ward 66 community leaders have raised concerns about the safety of schoolchildren who are allegedly being left outside school premises during school hours after arriving late.

The issue was discussed during a meeting held at the Wentworth Youth Centre recently, where stakeholders gathered to address concerns surrounding scholar transport and the safety of learners travelling to schools in The Bluff area.

Santaco KZN secretary, Mandla Mvubu, said police had raised concerns about learners from several schools on The Bluff who were found loitering outside school premises during teaching hours.

Also read: Wentworth gas leak: More than 36 learners treated

Mvubu said the problem stemmed from schools closing their gates to learners who arrived late, leaving some children with nowhere to go for the remainder of the school day.

He explained that some scholar transport operators travelled from as far as Umlazi to transport learners to schools on The Bluff.

“It emerged that teachers close the gate when the children are not at school on time in the morning. Some of our drivers are coming as far as Umlazi. During peak hours, there is traffic, and that causes delays. By the time they arrive at the school, it is a bit late, and the teachers refuse to let the children inside,” said Mvubu.

He said some learners ended up spending the entire school day outside the school premises, exposing them to potential dangers and compromising their right to education.

Also read: Break-in attempt foiled at Merebank school

“As Santaco, we believe there should be an alternative punishment for those children who arrive late at school. Closing the gates because the children are late exposes them to many dangerous circumstances,” he said.

Mvubu called on the relevant authorities to intervene and engage with schools to find a solution that would prevent learners from being turned away.

He stressed that the safety and education of children should remain a priority, urging stakeholders to work together to address the challenges facing scholar transport operators and learners.

The meeting brought together transport representatives, police and community leadership to discuss ways of improving learner safety and addressing concerns surrounding scholar transport in the area.

Sergeant Sduduzo Makhaye of Brighton Beach police station said the meeting also aimed at improving road safety, compliance and partnership in keeping learners safe.

For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.