![Minister Grant and Principal Inspector Louw from the City of Cape Town's Traffic Services with the door that fell off a scholar transport vehicle. Minister Grant and Principal Inspector Louw from the City of Cape Town's Traffic Services with the door that fell off a scholar transport vehicle.](https://www.westerncape.gov.za/sites/www.westerncape.gov.za/files/minister_grant_and_principal_inspector_louw_from_coct_traffic_services_with_door_that_fell_off_scholar_transport_vehicle.jpg)
Statement by Donald Grant, Minister of Transport and Public Works
This morning (16 October 2014), I attended a Scholar Transport Operation conducted by the City of Cape Town’s (CoCT) Traffic Services, in partnership with Safely Home, at Parow Valley Preparatory School in Parow. This was just one of many such operations conducted by CoCT Traffic Services in and around the Metro area, targeting driver fitness, as well as roadworthiness for scholar transport vehicles.
This visit formed part of Safely Home’s focused campaign for Transport Month, which is #SafeRoadsSafeKids.
The operations are conducted in areas where the conditions under which scholars are being transported to and from school, are contrary to those envisaged by the National Land Transport Act (NLTA). The NLTA requires vehicles to be roadworthy and appropriate for the transportation of scholars, as well as for operators to be in possession of the necessary documentation/authority in order to carry out this function.
At this morning’s operation, I witnessed many children still being transported under very dangerous and unacceptable circumstances. One of the vehicles, being driven by an unlicensed driver and full of school children, was in a state of such serious disrepair that the door fell off while being inspected by traffic officials. This poses a serious threat to the safety of all the children who are forced to travel under such adverse conditions.
Parents must partner with us in our efforts to protect school children, and must, when contracting privately with scholar transport operators, take every practical step to ensure that their transport is safe and reliable, and that the driver has the relevant records and authorisation. Province, law enforcement, schools and parents can and must do more to ensure that scholar transport is safer, and that our young children are protected from continued victimisation on our roads.
At this morning’s operation:
The City of Cape Town Traffic Services, Provincial Traffic and Safely Home will continue to do all we can to ensure that the safety of children through continued operations, like this one, and focused campaigns and interventions at places we know are most dangerous for kids.
Siphesihle Dube
Spokesperson for Donald Grant, Minister of Transport and Public Works
Tel: 021 483 8954
Cell: 084 233 3811
E-mail: siphesihle.dube@westerncape.gov.za