More than 200 children have been left stranded without transport to school 15km away.
Distraught Nompumelelo parents told the Dispatch on Friday they could not enrol their children at Sinempumelelo Primary School nearby because it was full.
Instead they had to look further afield, and the closest alternative was Nkwezana Primary School near Chintsa.
Thandiswa Ntem said: “There was a bus driver who was transporting them. He collected them on his route from Ducats. But he was doing us a favour because Nompumelelo children were not on the list.
“He said he was promised they would be put on the system, but they never were.”
Another parent, Zimasa Ntsinde, said most of them were domestic workers and could not afford transport from their own pockets to get the children to school.
“That school is far – I could never walk there and I don’t think my children can either – they are only six and eight. Sometimes the children were overloaded in the bus, with two to three children on a seat.
“It is also a risk on his part as well. He has been tolerant and has helped us since 2012 but now he says he cannot do it anymore,” Ntsinde said.
Provincial transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said the department of education determined who received scholar transport.
“We transport them according to a list from the department of education.”
Contacted for comment, provincial education spokesman Mali Mtima said the matter was being handled by the department’s district transport officials.
He said they would investigate the matter.
But parent Bulelwa Ncumpela said the help they needed was urgent.
“We have been made promise after promise between the departments of education and transport but there have never been results.”
On Friday, hundreds of children in school uniform stood at the entrance of Nompumelelo and watched as buses drove by taking other pupils to school.
Their despairing parents had no option but send them back home. — siyab@dispatch.co.za
No ticket to educational ride
Distraught Nompumelelo parents told the Dispatch on Friday they could not enrol their children at Sinempumelelo Primary School nearby because it was full.
Instead they had to look further afield, and the closest alternative was Nkwezana Primary School near Chintsa.
Thandiswa Ntem said: “There was a bus driver who was transporting them. He collected them on his route from Ducats. But he was doing us a favour because Nompumelelo children were not on the list.
“He said he was promised they would be put on the system, but they never were.”
Another parent, Zimasa Ntsinde, said most of them were domestic workers and could not afford transport from their own pockets to get the children to school.
“That school is far – I could never walk there and I don’t think my children can either – they are only six and eight. Sometimes the children were overloaded in the bus, with two to three children on a seat.
“It is also a risk on his part as well. He has been tolerant and has helped us since 2012 but now he says he cannot do it anymore,” Ntsinde said.
Provincial transport spokesman Ncedo Kumbaca said the department of education determined who received scholar transport.
“We transport them according to a list from the department of education.”
Contacted for comment, provincial education spokesman Mali Mtima said the matter was being handled by the department’s district transport officials.
He said they would investigate the matter.
But parent Bulelwa Ncumpela said the help they needed was urgent.
“We have been made promise after promise between the departments of education and transport but there have never been results.”
On Friday, hundreds of children in school uniform stood at the entrance of Nompumelelo and watched as buses drove by taking other pupils to school.
Their despairing parents had no option but send them back home. — siyab@dispatch.co.za
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