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[File Image]: School pupils wait to board scholar transport.
Concerned parents of learners who have not been going to school due to the scholar transport strike in Gauteng, have urged the provincial Department of Education to pay bus operators what is owed to them. Among the hundreds of learners missing classes are matric students preparing for examinations.
Operators affiliated with the Gauteng Small Bus Operators Council have downed tools, alleging non-payment for services, with some claiming they have not been paid since last year.
The Council has vowed to continue their strike until the provincial education department has paid all service providers.
The strike has left some learners across the province, who rely on buses, unable to attend school.
The Council’s chairperson Jabulani Khumalo says some operators have not been paid since October last year.
“We sent the memorandum yesterday to the Department of Education. We are still waiting for their response. Please accept sincere apology for any inconvenience caused because this suspension of operations is due to lack of diesel. Our employees are not paid, our suppliers. So, it’s really tough on operators. We are waiting for the department to make payments as soon as possible,” says Khumalo.
The parents of the learners say being absent from class might hamper the progress of their children as they are missing out.
Tshepo Tamane, one of the concerned parents, says, “I want to know from the Department of Education in Gauteng, when are they going to pay bus owners? Buses have stopped transporting kids around Gauteng. Learners are going to be affected. They will be behind with their daily tasks.”
The Gauteng Department of Education has appealed to operators affiliated with the Council to return to work while the payment process is being finalized.
Department Spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says they are doing everything possible to pay operators.
“We have started with the processing of engaging the service providers and we will continue to do so. The department can emphasize that we have a commitment to fulfil the payment of outstanding invoices. We appeal to service providers to continuously provide this essential service while we are finalizing the process of making sure their payments are made,” says Mabona.
Meanwhile, learner organisation, COSAS and worker’s union, SAFTU, have condemned the disruption of learning and teaching and urged the department to speedily resolve the payment impasse.
