TRANSPORT MEC Thandiswa Marawu has lashed out at the company contracted to transport thousands of Eastern Cape school children for not abiding by the rules.
This follows an accident two weeks ago in which a bakkie ferrying school children overturned near Libode, killing six pupils.
Speaking at Siqikini village near Libode at the funeral of six Mabalengwe High School children on Friday, Marawu accused One Future Development 46 of flouting the conditions of its service level agreement.
According to the agreement, only buses and minibus taxis are permitted to ferry children to school. The bakkie in which the children were transported had reportedly been sub-contracted .
A few days before the funeral the MEC met directors of the company and expressed her anger that a bakkie had been used, something the government had banned.
The Daily Dispatch reported on a similar incident in 2004 where six school children died on the N2 near the Amalinda turn-off, in East London, when the bakkie in which they were travelling was involved in an accident.
Since then about 20 school children have died in bakkie accidents in the Eastern Cape.
Marawu also alleged the driver of the bakkie in the Libode incident did not have a valid driver’s licence.
“When we entered this contract, we agreed that all vehicles involved in scholar transport had to have a certificate of fitness and be tested for roadworthiness every six months.
“All operators involved in the scholar transport programme must have operating licences, public driving permits and public passenger liability cover .”
Marawu said their legal team was looking at invoking the penalty clauses of the contract with One Future Development 46 “so those responsible for the death of our school children can be dealt with”.
One Future Development 46 chairman Simlindile Hintsa confirmed some work had been sub-contracted to the bakkie driver by one of its members.
He said a disciplinary process had already been started against the member.
“Yes, it is true we are at fault here. But this driver was not one of our members. We only have buses and minibus taxis.”
Hintsa called on principals to work closely with them in monitoring the situation. He said auditors had already been appointed to audit the company’s safety standards.
Opposition parties said Marawu’s reaction was like crying over spilt milk, adding the ANC-led provincial government was fully aware bakkies were being used to ferry children to school.
However, they accused them of not doing anything to curb the situation.
“The government rushes to make policies after an incident and dismally fails to monitor policy implementation,” said the DA’s Veliswa Mvenya.
The UDM’s Max Mhlati said corrupt officials and politicians were to blame for the lack of stringent monitoring systems.
But Marawu assured parents she would do everything in her power to ensure no bakkies were used to transport school children from now on. —
Death bakkie broke rules
This follows an accident two weeks ago in which a bakkie ferrying school children overturned near Libode, killing six pupils.
Speaking at Siqikini village near Libode at the funeral of six Mabalengwe High School children on Friday, Marawu accused One Future Development 46 of flouting the conditions of its service level agreement.
According to the agreement, only buses and minibus taxis are permitted to ferry children to school. The bakkie in which the children were transported had reportedly been sub-contracted .
A few days before the funeral the MEC met directors of the company and expressed her anger that a bakkie had been used, something the government had banned.
The Daily Dispatch reported on a similar incident in 2004 where six school children died on the N2 near the Amalinda turn-off, in East London, when the bakkie in which they were travelling was involved in an accident.
Since then about 20 school children have died in bakkie accidents in the Eastern Cape.
Marawu also alleged the driver of the bakkie in the Libode incident did not have a valid driver’s licence.
“When we entered this contract, we agreed that all vehicles involved in scholar transport had to have a certificate of fitness and be tested for roadworthiness every six months.
“All operators involved in the scholar transport programme must have operating licences, public driving permits and public passenger liability cover .”
Marawu said their legal team was looking at invoking the penalty clauses of the contract with One Future Development 46 “so those responsible for the death of our school children can be dealt with”.
One Future Development 46 chairman Simlindile Hintsa confirmed some work had been sub-contracted to the bakkie driver by one of its members.
He said a disciplinary process had already been started against the member.
“Yes, it is true we are at fault here. But this driver was not one of our members. We only have buses and minibus taxis.”
Hintsa called on principals to work closely with them in monitoring the situation. He said auditors had already been appointed to audit the company’s safety standards.
Opposition parties said Marawu’s reaction was like crying over spilt milk, adding the ANC-led provincial government was fully aware bakkies were being used to ferry children to school.
However, they accused them of not doing anything to curb the situation.
“The government rushes to make policies after an incident and dismally fails to monitor policy implementation,” said the DA’s Veliswa Mvenya.
The UDM’s Max Mhlati said corrupt officials and politicians were to blame for the lack of stringent monitoring systems.
But Marawu assured parents she would do everything in her power to ensure no bakkies were used to transport school children from now on. —
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