Wcape also asks for SA Roadlink’s credentials

FIRST it was Gauteng. Now the Western Cape has acted against SA Roadlink.

Western Cape Transport and Public Works MEC Robin Carlisle has ordered that its buses crossing into the province be “stopped on sight and pulled over”.

Last Friday the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport lodged a complaint of fraud against the bus company after an employee, André Smit, allegedly discovered a scheme to produce fraudulent roadworthy documents.

The City Press reported at the weekend that Smit, 42, who had been at the company for three days, had resigned in disgust when he’d witnessed the alleged crime.

Carlisle said yesterday: “Every SA Roadlink bus in the province will be stopped on sight and pulled over for a detailed inspection of its operating licence and all relevant transport documents, including vehicle registration and roadworthy and driver licensing. I have been accused of targeting SA Roadlink before. What this shows is that I did not target them enough.”

The bus company has previously been in the spotlight for poor service and defective vehicles.

In April, two of its buses were pulled over in George because traffic authorities said they were unroadworthy. The traffic officers later discovered one of the buses had had its licence revoked by the authorities a week earlier.

SA Roadlink national sales manager Nolin Padayachee said yesterday that it didn’t have a problem with its buses being scrutinised as long as it was not being “victimised” or singled out.

“We have new coaches, three weeks old. If they are pulling every coach for no reason, that would be unfair and an inconvenience for our passengers.

“They should do that with all the other bus operators. If we are being victimised, then we will take it up with his (Carlisle’s) department.”

Gauteng Roads and Transport spokeswoman Octavia Mamabolo said the alleged fraudulent documents had had a letterhead of the Gauteng Operating Licensing Board, which had been replaced by the Provincial Regulatory Entity. “We stopped using that letterhead in December… All the permits that would have been issued this year used a new letterhead.”