Operations to ensure the safety of school transport took place on Thursday in Mitchells Plain, with Western Cape MEC of Mobility Ricardo Mackenzie in attendance.
At these operations in Firgrove, Rocklands, and Tafelsig, Western Cape Provincial Traffic Officers and the Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) alongside the City of Cape Town enforcement agencies checked operating licences and vehicle and driver fitness.
Mackenzie was shocked to confirm the arrest of one person who was allegedly intoxicated while dropping off children at school.
“This is part of our ongoing operations to check scholar transport at the beginning of the school year. What has happened so far this morning, one driver has been arrested for allegedly being under the influence of alcohol. His vehicle was also overloaded and the vehicle was impounded.
“Another vehicle has also been impounded. The driver has no operating permit or public driving permit to drive children to school. It is obviously unsafe and it is our aim to make it safe for children to get to school,” he said.
Ongoing operations will take place to ensure scholar safety.
“We are doing these operations to prevent incidents of crashes like we saw what happened last year when we lost so many lives because of reckless and irresponsible behaviours,” Mackenzie said.
On May 30, 2023, five children being transported to school in Mitchells Plain were killed in a tragic crash along AZ Berman Drive.
He said a previous operation was conducted in Somerset and his department is looking at areas with a huge number of scholar transport operators.
“We will continue with operations. We had someone alert us this morning where she knows about illegal operators picking up children.
“We urge people to alert us to these incidents of people driving without permits and drunk drivers driving children. It is unacceptable and reckless,” Mackenzie said.
An operator must have a valid operating licence for providing learner transport services and the driver must have a valid driving licence and professional driving permit (PrDP).
Only vehicles that comply with legislated safety standards and were manufactured after September 1, 2006 (except for the 2005 Toyota Quantum) may be used.
Learners may not be transported on the back of a bakkie or light delivery vehicle.