Scholar transport in SA: when the ride to school becomes a death trap

DAILY NECESSITY

- DR RAJENDRAN GOVENDER

A MEMORIAL service for the pupils who died in last week's collision between a scholar transport vehicle and a truck, took place at the Saul Tsotetsi Sports Ground Hall in Sebokeng on Friday. The service was attended by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and provincial executive council members.

(GDE)

THERE is a particular kind of pain that words cannot fully carry — the pain of a parent who packs a lunchbox, straightens a school uniform, gives a quick kiss on the forehead, and watches their child leave home with the innocent promise, “T'll see you later’, only to receive a call that shatters their world forever.

No mother or father should ever have to identify their child at a mortuary because a journey to school became a death sentence.

Yet, this is the cruel reality that continues to confront too many South African families, as preventable scholar transport tragedies claim young lives and steal away the dreams of future leaders, professionals, and community builders.

Scholar transport plays an essential role in our education system, especially in communities where pupils travel long distances to attend school. For many families, it is not optional — it is the only practical means for a child to access learning. But this critical service is increasingly becoming a space of danger, fear and heartbreak. Recent incidents in various parts of the country have once again exposed what many parents have known for years: scholar transport is not always managed as a child safety priority, and the consequences have been fatal.