MEC says scholar transport in NW being prioritized in budget

The North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management has put aside more than R1 billion for transport operations.

When presenting the R2.4 billion budget for the 2025/2026 financial year at the provincial legislature in Mahikeng, MEC Wessels Morweng said half of that budget will be allocated to transport operations.

This follows instances where some buses were involved in accidents and unroadworthy buses were used to ferry learners to schools.

There has also been reports of learners being stranded as unpaid service providers refused to send buses to ferry them.

The chairperson for the Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management, Freddy Sonakile believes that modernised systems should be at the heart of this budget vote, to deal with challenges facing scholar transport in the province.

“There were number of complaints, marches as well as tool downs, by service providers who are rendering services on scholar transport against slow payment of their services after they have delivered services. Therefore, the committee engaged on that matter and wanted to understand as to when will the department invoke what is called an electronic invoice system and whether that system will be able to become transparent enough,” says Sonakile.