DURBAN- As thousands of pupils go back to school on Wednesday for the new academic year, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport says 63 unroadworthy scholar transport vehicles have been suspended after failing the safety inspection.
The inspection was carried out by a team of road traffic inspectors and the public transport service’s Operation Shanela.
The team visited more than 26 satellite stations throughout the province.
Many pupils in the province depend on scholar transport contracted to the department to ferry them to school.
In a statement, spokesperson for Transport and Human Settlement, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said the main focus was to ensure the safety of more than 77,000 pupils.
"The inspection is focusing on driver permits, tyres, brakes, seatbelts, suspension and the entire condition of the vehicle."
Sibiya said so far, 198 vehicles were inspected, including 143 buses, 48 minibuses and seven mid-buses.
"Based on the report from Shanela, a total of 63 vehicles failed the inspection. The owners have been instructed to attend to all mechanical failures as stipulated in the contract with the Department of Transport," Sibiya added.
He said the department would also be extending the inspection to private scholar transport providers.