MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Just one day after the devastating Vanderbijlpark taxi crash that claimed the lives of 12 learners, Mossel Bay Municipality’s traffic officials impounded a minibus taxi overloaded with 40 children just off Mayixhale Street, KwaNonqaba, on Tuesday afternoon, 20 January.
The nation was left reeling on Monday morning, 19 January, when the news broke that 12 children had been killed when the taxi they were travelling in collided with a truck in Vanderbijlpark.
On Tuesday, the police announced in a statement that the 22-year-old driver of that taxi had been arrested and is facing 12 counts of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving.
Four children still remained in hospital at the time of going to press.
Meanwhile, at 15:00 on Tuesday, a traffic official from the municipality stopped an overloaded taxi here in Mossel Bay.
The municipality posted on its Facebook page, along with some video footage showing all the schoolchildren inside the vehicle, that as well as for the taxi being overloaded, the driver had also allegedly been operating without a permit to transport learners.
“These incidents highlight the urgent need for vigilance and accountability in learner transport. Overloading and unregulated operators are not just illegal - they are deadly,” said the municipality in its post.
In response to Mossel Bay Advertiser’s queries, the municipality said a fine was issued to the driver as well as a notice to appear in court, and the vehicle was impounded and handed over to the Provincial Traffic Department. It said the involvement of the police was not required.
The municipality added that the fine, along with the impound documents, must be taken to the pound for the vehicle to be released, and that an impound fee must be paid.
It said permit application for public transport can be done with the Provincial Regulatory Entity or National Public Transport Regulator (Provincial Services), and that the permit applicant must provide full details regarding the type of transport provided and the type of vehicle that will be used.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said it continues to encourage schools and parents to report unsafe or illegal private operators.
The department strictly monitors and enforces safety compliance only for the official WCED Learner Transport Scheme, which includes contractor vetting, vehicle inspections, route monitoring and enforcement actions where necessary.
The WCED said it does not regulate private learner transport.
“The head of department has previously written to schools urging principals to report illegal or unsafe operators. The Provincial Regulatory Entity [PRE] also conducts outreaches and training to help operators become licensed and compliant,” the WCED said.
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