By REGINALD KANYANE
5 May 2025- The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi, briefly appeared before the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on 29 and 30 April 2025, during a two-day investigative enquiry into the province’s scholar transport challenges in Mafikeng. The enquiry convened by the SAHRC sought to examine and assess the systemic issues affecting the provision of learner transport across the province, particularly in rural and underprivileged areas.
This follows numerous complaints about the inadequate, unreliable and often unsafe scholar transport services that threaten learners’ rights to education, safety and dignity as enshrined in the constitution.
Motsumi said she acknowledges the challenges and explained the structural complications as the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management (COSATMA) is responsible for learner transport, while the learners fall under the North West Department of Education.
“We acknowledge the concern and aim to fast-track the review of the Memorandum of Understanding with COSATMA. We understand and support the SAHRC’s stance because this is fundamentally about the constitutional rights of our learners.
“Unreliable and unsafe scholar transport undermines those rights and negatively impacts learner attendance, safety and performance. We acknowledge the real and pressing challenges concerning scholar transport in our province,” she said.
Motsumi further said the current arrangement, where the Department of Education is responsible for learners, but the transport function lies with the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, has created a fragmented approach that needs urgent resolution. She added that the Department of Education will fast-track the review of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with COSATMA to reflect the practical and lasting solutions that emerged during the enquiry.
“The department is committed to continue with implementative engagements to ensure learner safety, restore dignity in service delivery and promote consistent school attendance among learners,” said Motsumi.
The Guardian 