Learners in Alfred Nzo left stranded as scholar transport operators remain unpaid

Learners using the scholar transport system in the Alfred Nzo District, in the Eastern Cape, were left stranded on Monday morning as scholar transport operators did not arrive to transport them due to payment issues.

The scholar transport vehicle owners say they have not been paid by the Department of Transport for the past three months.

Speaking on behalf of scholar transport operators in the Alfred Nzo region, Sipho Tsheke says operators want what’s due to them before resuming operations.

“I know that operators have not been paid for the past three months. Subsequent to that, learners are walking to school because operators have gone to Bhisho to collect what is due to them,” says Tsheke.

Department of Transport Spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie says they are looking into the matter and have appealed to operators to resume their services.

“We wish to apologise for the inconvenience caused by this process. This validation of contracts as well as its terms is to strengthen compliance and eliminate chances of either over and underpayments which we have experienced in the past. We are further pleading for patience and no disruption to the scholar transport service,” says Rantjie.