Law enforcement to intensify focus on scholar transport after Vanderbijlpark horror crash

A spotlight has been placed on scholar transport following the tragic death of 12 schoolchildren in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng earlier this week.

The children were killed when a minibus taxi in which they were travelling collided head-on with a truck.

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Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy and her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, have instructed traffic law enforcement agencies, including the RTMC National Traffic Police, to increase law enforcement operations – with a specific focus on scholar transport throughout the country.

“These enforcement operations must intensify the focus on overloading, roadworthiness and speeding, all of which were central to saving lives in the previous year and over the festive season, remaining critical focus areas for the department’s 365 Day Arrive Alive campaign,” said transport spokesperson Collen Msibi.

The minister said a lack of law enforcement had brought the country’s scholar transport service to its knees, with warnings directed at transport operators, buses and taxi associations to get their act together or face the full might of the law.

“They have, in addition, taken a decision to embark on an unannounced law enforcement blitz in schools to conduct scholar transport inspections, starting this week.

“They have made a clarion call to all scholar transport operators to strictly obey the road traffic regulations outlined in the Scholar Transport Policy and the National Road Traffic Act,” said Msibi.

The RTMC is investigating the cause of the Vanderbijlpark crash in collaboration with local authorities. The preliminary report will be released on Thursday.

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