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MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela is seen with Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy during a scholar transport safety campaign, E-Thoma-ka-Wena (It Starts with You), in this image captured on 22 January 2026.
The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport says it has intensified its crackdown on non-compliant scholar transport operators in Lenasia.
This forms part of the ongoing E-Thoma-ka-Wena (It Starts with You) campaign aimed at improving road safety and protecting learners.
Department Spokesperson Lesiba Mpya says several vehicles were taken off the road this afternoon.
He says arrests were made for driving under the influence of alcohol and attempted bribery.
“We would have calculated in excess of 610 applications that were collected just today. We want to say that we have in our system 1,546 applications that we have captured. We are aware that we have 1,009 applications that are in the system ready for approval and we have approved around 574 that are in the hands of operators. So, there is no specific backlog because there is a process underway.”
Meanwhile, a tragic crash which happened in Vanderbijlpark last week Monday, claiming the lives of 14 school children, has put the safety of scholar transport under the spotlight.
Some organisations are advocating for tighter law enforcement of scholar transport and for government to review and implement already existing policy around scholar transport.
Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has indicated that her department is in the final stages of reviewing the National Learner Transport Policy.
Scholar transport safety under the spotlight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LMBMbm8gJc
