Millions of South African children walk to school daily

TRANSPORT MONTH

- STAFF REPORTER

OCTOBER marks Transport Month in South Africa, a time to reflect on the progress and challenges in building a transport system that works for everyone.

This year’s theme, “Implementing an integrated, sustainable, and safe transport system that promotes inclusive economic growth, job retention and creation, and social development,” highlights how transport shapes everyday life - from children walking to school to workers making their way to jobs — revealing both the strides made and the inequalities that persist in access and affordability.

The figures reveal the everyday realities for millions: children covering long distances to get to school safely, households managing high transport costs and workers balancing affordability with the need to reach their jobs.

Recent data from the General Household Survey (GHS) 2024 shows that land transport remains the primary means of travel for most South Africans. Nearly two-thirds (61.1%) of learners walk to school, while 14.8% rely on transport arranged by parents, 10.1% travel by private car, 7.1% use taxis, and 1.5% take the bus. For workers, fewer than a quarter (22,8%) walk to work, with more than half relying on motorised transport such as private cars (25.9%), taxis (24.3%), buses (3.6%), and lift clubs (2.6%).