Gauteng Traffic Police
One of the worst examples of an unroadworthy taxi used to transport young pupils.
Written-off vehicles held together by wire, minibus taxis without floorboards, and brake pedals tied to the floor.
These are the conditions of some vehicles used to transport hundreds of thousands of children to and from school.
Last year in Gauteng, 95 percent of operating school vehicles seen at testing centres were written off as unroadworthy.
Road Traffic Management Corporation spokesman Ashref Ismail said it was shocking how many defective vehicles were used to transport children.
“One operation by the Gauteng traffic police in the Vaal area in November was a real eye-opener. Of the 227 school vehicles tested, 215 failed.
“It was an all-time record for the number of unroadworthy vehicles found in one testing centre during a single sting operation.”
The pedals in this taxi used to carry children are held together with wire.
Gauteng Traffic Police
About 57 000 pupils are transported by the Gauteng department of education each school day.
In November and December, 603 school transport vehicles were tested, of which 412 failed.
Now, Ismail said, the national department of transport had earmarked February to focus on scholar transport.
Howard Dembovsky, the national chairman of Justice Project SA, said unroadworthy school transport was commonplace because corruption was rife at testing stations.
Even though a Professional Driving Permit renewal and vehicle testing would cost just over R400, people were willing to pay as much as R1000 to have their vehicles passed, he said.
Also, some didn't even take their vehicles to testing centres, yet still passed the test.
This bakkie, crammed full of children, was found during a Gauteng traffic police sting operation in 2011.
Gauteng Traffic Police
At Melpark Primary School, a driver who did not want to be named, but who has been in the business since 1992, said there were drivers who belonged to drivers' associations and those who worked alone.
Problems arose when those not with associations set lower prices to attract parents and then overloaded their vehicles to cover costs.
Also, when those drivers - most of whom had no insurance - ran out of money before month-end, they simply switched off their phones and left pupils and parents hanging.
And parents were not blameless.
“With some parents, we only see them at the beginning of the year when we sign agreements. When we fetch their children they don't even leave the house to look at the vehicle or talk to the driver.
“For all they know, the driver could be a drunk who drinks and smokes in front of the children - the parents simply don't care.”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
What your child's driver should have, according to the Gauteng department of roads and transport:
A Professional Driving Permit.
A letter from the school approving the transport service.
A list of pupils' names.
A detailed route to be followed to and from school.
A timetable detailing the pick-up and drop-off points.
Motoring newsletter - click here to keep up to speed with the best in motoring
|
|
Anonymous, wrote
this is the most weierdest thing i have ever heard i am a kid myself and believe me, i would never go on a bus like that with a drunk or smoking guy. im samrt about those things
Anonymous, wrote
@Taxi Driver.How many people loose their lives because of taxis that are unroadworthy? Our children are our future, thus we`re so concern about condition of the taxis.
@Anonymous 10.29am, wrote
With taxis, its first come first go. If kids are selective with which taxi to take, it will mean getting to school at 9am and heading for detention class. Did you ever see a bus running with just school kids lately? What about transport for the kids going to government schools? Some have to take 3 taxis to school. Taxi bosses are only interested in making money. What is the government doing about that? Metro police CAN be bribed. Its only a matter of how much the taxi boss is willing to pay for them to look the other way. Children are the innocents here, so don't criticize so harshly. The ANC government has not only let their own people down, but have let the children down. The education system stinks to high heaven. There are not alot of Universities in SA. There will eventually be so much unemployment for future matrics, crime will spiral out of control. If you have something to say, direct it to the government of the day. I am a student, and I know what I am talking about. Its time the government stopped dilly dallying. Children shouldnt have to take taxi's to school. PERIOD. !!!!!
School kid, wrote
Dear Mr President, Please organise a proper School transport system for the children. Instead of sitting on a Private Plane with two more Planes running side by side to guard you, think of the poor children whose lives are in danger everyday in these KILLER TAXIS because the taxi mafia lords have stopped the bus services from running. If you really believe that the children are the "future" get off your high horse and do something constructive. The KILLER TAXI'S are a death trap to all and sundry, not only the children. Stop allowing the taxi mafia lords drug lords run the public roads. Vehicle testing stations are corrupt, Police are corrupt, government officials are corrupt. Nobody can be trusted. So Please, stop lavishing all the tax payers money and work for it for a CHANGE. As the moron Taxi Driver said: There is an oversupply of mainly BLACK children, whose welfare and life the taxi industry do not care about. Get the wheels turning into SA having a special bus system just to transport school children, whether it be in the rural areas or urban areas. Just like they had in the Apartheid days. Where are those YELLOW SCHOOL BUSSES....!!! Stupid President..
Anonymous, wrote
Our government expects us to make use of public transport. According to them taxis are public transport. I would love to see Zuma in one of those. There is no way I would get into a taxi. Of course most of them are unroadworthy because, when pulled over, they simply hand the R100 note and off they go. I blame the government for this mess. If traffic officials weren't so corrupt, this wouldn't happen. But of course, when our ministers do it, why won't ordinary citizens do it?
Dick Long, wrote
Anonymous 11:am - licences, roadworthy certificates and cops at roadblocks are simply bought. Corruption, bribery and chaos is simply the African way...
Zandi, wrote
When I questioned one school transport owner who was transporting my daughter about overloading other parents were so pissed off and insulted me. From then I made a decision never to use school taxi for my child. The parents are to a certain extent to blame they are the ones who defend these criminals who are risking the lives of our children.
Anonymous, wrote
The way the ANC sees it the more corruption at departments the better and the less kids making it to school the less educated people there will be and the more "dumb" voters they will have. Zuma probably ensures these taxis are unsafe and need to pay to corrupt officers to make them pass as roadworthy.
Anonymous, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
Why are these vehicles not sent away from testing stations or road blocks and destroyed immediately? This makes a mockery of the call that "children are our future", when the self-interest of taxi owners is the major contributor to the carnage on our roads.
Anonymous, wrote
How could any parent allow their children to get into unroadworthyoverloaded taxis? They should be more pro-active in ensuring the safety of their own children, it will cost them nothing but will safe them a life. I guess these are the same parents that let their children sitting or standing unrestrained in the front seats of their own cars. Why cant parents just take responsibility for their own children, there are roadworthy taxis and buses that transport kids, do your bloody homework and find one.
Anonymous, wrote
The Mafia arem of the ANCorrupt!! Do they really care about the safety of children or people of South Africa??
Showing items 1 - 12 of 12
Services
Buying a car has never been easy. Motoring.co.za contains a large database of car listings with a user friendly search.
Start searching today »
Business Directory
You are here: Pretoria News / Gauteng school taxis are death traps
We like to make your life easier
Mobile
Browse IOL on your phone at m.iol.co.za.
Newsletters
Subscribe to our newsletters. News delivered to your inbox!
Submit your comments here
Terms and Conditions