More than 1,000 children polished their shoes and packed their books for the start of the new school term only to be left stranded on the side of the road due to the transport department’s alleged failure to pay operators.
When their scholar transport failed to arrive on Wednesday morning, the disappointed boys and girls made their way back home, feeling like the “forgotten class”.
Much like the debilitating scholar transport tide which blemished the new school year in January, it was more of the same on Wednesday for countless Nelson Mandela Bay pupils as the second term got under way.
What began as a day abuzz with excitement, as cheerful pupils sporting different uniforms made a beeline for their transport after the Easter holidays, ended in misery when they arrived at the deserted pickup points.
Though the problem with scholar transport had mostly improved late last term, the relief of thousands of pupils and their parents was short-lived.
A Rocklands Farm School grade 9 pupil at first wondered if she had missed the transport despite waking up at the crack of dawn to make it to the pickup point on time.
She had arrived at the “KaTau” pickup, one of several in the Kuyga area, six minutes from her home, shortly after 6.30am.
“I expected to be transported to school as I was eager to get my first term report and to see my friends,” the disappointed pupil said.
“We got tired of waiting, and after more than an hour a group of us decided to go to the next stop to see what was happening there.”
The next stop, 30 minutes away on foot, saw the agitated pupils arrive to find an even bigger group waiting for their lift.
“Many pupils were left waiting for a bus,” a 14-year-old pupil said.
It was not until after 9am that they received somewhat of an answer.
“After another hour of standing around we went to the nearby depot, where one of the bus drivers told us the vehicle owner had instructed them not to transport children,” a grade 10 pupil said.
Ward 40 councillor Jason Grobbelaar said the issue likely stemmed from the nonpayment of operators by the transport department.
“I received reports the scholar transport buses were not operating [on Wednesday allegedly] due to [issues] of nonpayment,” Grobbelaar said.
“[As a result, more than] 1,000 children could not attend school.
“I have since escalated the matter to the mayor’s office, who previously confirmed in council that we should not worry about it or discuss the matter as it was being dealt with.
“But yet here we are again.”
The premier’s office, members of the transport and education departments and the provincial treasury had met behind closed doors in March about the issue.
However, despite a request for details, premier Oscar Mabuyane’s spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie, said at the time that the engagement was not intended for public consumption.
It was the latest in a series of discussions on the impasse that affected pupils throughout the province.
“Many issues have been resolved but others are still outstanding,” transport and community safety MEC Xolile Nqatha said.
Parent Noluthanda Dumezweni called for an end to the disruption.
Meanwhile, a Kuyga community leader, Zondile Mpondo, said a possible short-term solution had emerged at a parents’ meeting at Rocklands Intermediate Farm School in March.
“The principal [reportedly] negotiated with nearby primary schools, including Colleen Glen and Yellowwoods farm schools, for some grade R-7 pupils at Rocklands Intermediate, struggling with transport, to attend classes there in the meantime,” Mpondo said.
The Herald previously reported that many parents in the metro’s outlying and peri-urban areas were digging deep into their own pockets to fund private trips to ferry Walmer Secondary School pupils.
Others from Van Stadens Reserve School and Kuyga Public Primary School added to the many stranded on Wednesday.
Dumezweni said: “The children not going to school due to a situation not of their own making exposes them to the many ills prevalent in our community.
“We just want the transport problems to end and for our kids to continue their education.”
Transport department spokesperson Unathi Binqose could not immediately confirm whether the inoperative scholar transport could be blamed on nonpayments, but expressed surprise at the claims.
“We’re trying to establish contact with the operators on our database to find out if any of them did not pick up any pupils [on Wednesday], to find out why and in what areas.
“The number is disturbingly huge,” he said.
Binqose said the department’s policy was to process payment up to 30 days after invoice submission.
“We urge operators to be patient as we have officers working around the clock to process those invoices as they come.
“Those with adequate supporting documents are generally easier and faster to process, while others take longer as we sometimes have to get those documents before a payment can be made.
“It’s worth noting that any challenges that may be there are not due to a lack of funds, certainly not at this stage.”
He said the department was finalising an automated system to aid the handling of scholar-transport-related matters as a long-term solution to the many challenges affecting pupils.
“We strive to have the service rendered to all eligible learners in the province daily.
“We’re working towards making it available even tomorrow [Thursday].”
Ward 30 councillor Xolani Notshe, with six schools in his area, including Emafini and Sivuyiseni primary schools and KwaMagxaki High School, said they had encountered similar challenges.
Deputy mayor Babalwa Lobishe, when first contacted for comment, asked that the reporter phone back at a more convenient time.
However, she failed to answer several follow up calls.
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