George learner transport inspections expose overloaded minibus taxis and unroadworthy vehicles

In one incident on Tuesday morning, a minibus taxi transporting learners was found to be severely overloaded, carrying 27 learners instead of the legally permitted 13.

GEORGE NEWS - Overloaded minibus taxis, unroadworthy vehicles and drivers operating without permits were among the serious safety violations uncovered during the learner transport inspections conducted in and around George this week.

George Herald observed the provincial traffic officers carrying out sporadic inspections at several primary and high schools since 14 January as part of an operation aimed at improving learner transport safety.

Multiple contraventions were identified during these checks, including the overloading of vehicles, taxis operating without valid permits, learners not wearing seat belts and vehicles deemed unroadworthy.

These issues were observed at both primary and high schools across George. Private vehicles transporting learners to and from afterschool activities were also flagged as a growing concern.

In one incident on Tuesday morning, a minibus taxi transporting learners was found to be severely overloaded, carrying 27 learners instead of the legally permitted 13. The driver was issued fines totalling R13 000. Another vehicle was found transporting 22 learners on Wednesday morning.

The traffic officers also noted that at some schools, the taxi drivers dropped the learners some distance away from the premises in an apparent attempt to avoid inspection.

The transporting of learners in the backs of bakkies or open trucks is not only ex-tremely dangerous, it is illegal (see note on Regulation 250 of the National Road Traffic Act).

Report unsafe vehicles

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) monitors and enforces safety compliance only for the official WCED Learner Transport Scheme, which includes contractor vetting, vehicle inspections, route monitoring and enforcement where necessary.

Private learner transport does not fall under the WCED's mandate and is regulated by the Department of Mobility and law enforcement authorities.

The WCED works with the Department of Mobility by encouraging schools and parents to report unsafe or illegal private operators. WCED's HoD, Brent Walters, has previously written to the schools urging principals to report unlicensed, unpermitted or unroadworthy vehicles.

Schools have been provided with relevant law enforcement con-tact details, and the Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) conducts outreach and training to assist the operators to become compliant.

Schools are not required to keep records of private learner transport used by parents, including for extramural activities, but the schools' management are asked to report any safety concerns to the relevant authorities.

Following a fatal learner transport accident in Gauteng, the WCED confirmed that the HoD had already addressed private transport safety with schools in 2025, and that the Department of Mobility would focus on vehicle roadworthiness. A further reminder will be issued to the schools in the HoD's first-term letter.

Parents are advised to ensure operators are licensed, vehicles are roadworthy and not overloaded and drivers hold valid licences and professional driving permits, and to report serious concerns to their local traffic authorities.

• George Traffic: 044 878 2400

• Provincial Traffic, George: 044 805 9100.

A media enquiry was sent to the provincial Department of Mobility, who asked for an extension on their response. Their response will be added to the online version of this article.

In a press statement last month, the department said Provincial Traffic and municipal traffic services have intensified scholar transport inspections across the province, uncovering alarming levels of non-compliance that place learners at serious risk. Violations included overloading, unroadworthy vehicles, drivers operating under the influence of alcohol and operators deliberately avoiding enforcement routes. Authorities identified unregulated scholar transport as a great risk due to poor compliance and limited oversight.

Regulation 250 of the National Road Traffic Act, which came into effect in May 2020, tightened the rules around the transport of schoolchildren, a move aimed at improving passenger safety.

It is illegal to transport children for reward in the goods compartment of a vehicle.

The regulation also bans the transport of other passengers for reward in a vehicle's goods compartment, unless the area is enclosed with a canopy and the passengers are seated away from any goods or tools.