Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
First week of school a rough ride for drivers
A DRIVERS’ organisation representing those who transported children in the Western Cape back to school says the first week was difficult and hardly profitable.
The SA Scholar Transport Association (Sasta) in the province, which represents more than 900 drivers, said many of its drivers were not on the road and those who were, were struggling to make ends meet.
He added that many drivers had asked the schools of the pupils they were transporting for assistance, but were told that their personal protective equipment and cleaning materials were for the classroom.
Responding to questions in the provincial legislature last week, education MEC Debbie Schäfer said that she did not believe it should be her department’s responsibility to provide pupil transport with sanitation equipment.
“It’s the law now and we must comply, but it’s expensive,” said Sasta chairperson David Slinger.
A thermometer cost upwards of R800, he said, and drivers were already cash-strapped because their vehicles had been parked during lockdown.
Slinger said he wanted the Western Cape government to recognise their association because this would enable the drivers to get the support they needed and safely transport pupils.
He feared that the situation of drivers would worsen if more pupils returned to the classroom.
Earlier this week, scholar transport drivers held a protest outside the Western Cape government offices while the provincial legislature was in session. Slinger said their protest went unnoticed by government officials.
Both the Western Cape Education
Department and Transport Department have released guidelines for scholar transport that are similar to sanitisation rules for minibus taxis.
Department of Transport and Public Works spokesperson Ntomboxolo Makoba-Somdaka said: “The department is looking at assisting all legal transport operators, minibus taxis and scholar transport with sanitisers received as donations.”
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the reopening of schools had been successful so far.
“Given these unusual and uncertain times, we are pleased with the way in which our schools have embraced the ‘new normal’ in terms of the safety guidelines at schools, and the new processes and behaviours required.
“About 99% of schools in the province have reopened. We are aware of some schools that are closed as a result of cleaning due to a positive case of Covid19 being confirmed. They should be open on Monday, following the relevant cleaning procedures.”
Hammond said the department did not yet know how many pupils would continue to learn from home instead of at school, due to a concession granted for pupils with comorbidities.
Meanwhile, the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which had threatened to take Schäfer to court, has abandoned its bid for legal action.
Schäfer’s spokesperson Kerry Mauchline, said: “The SAHRC has announced that they’ve dropped their opposition to schools in the Western Cape opening on June 1. Minister Schäfer thanks all the WCED officials, school staff, SGBs and parents who worked hard to ensure that schools were ready to re-open for learners on time.”
It’s the law now and we must comply, but it’s expensive
David Slinger SA SCHOLAR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION