Thousands of learners across the Eastern Cape have been left stranded this morning as scholar transport operators downed tools in protest over months of non-payment by the Department of Transport. The shutdown, which coincides with the start of the new school term, has again exposed the complete collapse of the province’s scholar transport system.
Once again our children have been forced to walk long distances to school or turn back home entirely, while the Department once again shifts the blame. For rural families who depend on these services for safe access to education, this failure is not an inconvenience. It is a direct assault on their constitutional right to learn.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has consistently warned that the Eastern Cape scholar transport programme is on the brink of systemic failure. The Department’s inability to pay operators, ensure vehicles are roadworthy, and manage learner verification processes has now triggered an entirely preventable crisis.
While discussions are underway and operators are expected to resume duties tomorrow, the underlying issues have not been resolved.
The Department’s own reports repeatedly show millions of rands remain outstanding to contracted operators.
The result is that many have been unable to renew vehicle licences, fuel their fleets, or meet basic safety standards. These failures are not isolated. They reflect years of mismanagement, ignored court orders, and a lack of political accountability.
In July, the DA tabled a motion in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature calling for an urgent compliance review of the Makhanda High Court order on scholar transport. This motion would compel the Departments of Education and Transport to submit all relevant documentation and progress reports to the Legislature for oversight.
We are urging the Legislature to allow this motion to be debated so that meaningful reform measures can be introduced without further delay.
We cannot allow the scholar transport programme to collapse. Every day that learners are left waiting at the roadside, the provincial government violates both the letter and spirit of the Constitution.
The DA remains committed to restoring dignity and opportunity to every learner in the Eastern Cape. It is time for leadership that delivers on its promises and ensures that no child is denied their education because of government incompetence.