JOHANNESBURG - Subsidised scholar transport services in Gauteng are on strike, leaving thousands of learners across the province stranded and at risk.
The strike, which began on Monday, has forced children to navigate dangerous routes to reach school.
In videos circulating on social media, learners in Carletonville on the West Rand can be seen crossing streams and precarious paths to attend classes.
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According to transport providers -- who have downed tools amid unpaid invoices -- the strike stems from delayed payments by the Education Department.
Parents are left scrambling, with many forced to make difficult decisions to ensure their children get to school.
"The outcome was not unforeseeable," says Bongani Ramontja, chairperson of the taxi organisation Soil of Africa.
"It is the direct and predictable result of poor financial planning. Children cannot be used as collateral damage in such situations."
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Ramontja adds that many parents are already under severe economic strain and are being forced into impossible choices while learners’ education is disrupted.
Education spokesperson Steve Mabona says the department is actively engaging with transport providers to resolve outstanding payments.
He also appealed to operators to continue transporting learners while the matter is being addressed.
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The department is advising schools to implement academic recovery measures for learners who miss classes due to the strike.
However, Ramontja says expecting uninterrupted transport while invoices remain unpaid is exploitation.
"We reject the normalisation of crisis management as leadership," he says.
Meanwhile, Gauteng Education Transport Services have announced plans for their own strike next week, with private operator Pilane Ramarutsi saying preparations are still underway.