The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) has announced a province-wide crackdown on unroadworthy scholar transport vehicles and illegal operators as public schools prepare to reopen on Wednesday, 14 January 2026.
MEC for Roads and Transport Kedibone Diale-Tlabela issued a stern warning on Monday, saying vehicles that fail roadworthiness inspections or operate without valid permits will be impounded immediately, while drivers without valid licences will be arrested.
The warning comes as millions of learners across Gauteng are expected to return to school this week, many of whom rely on scholar transport to travel to and from school daily.
“The safety of learners is non-negotiable. For the next nine months, children will depend on drivers to get them to school safely. Every time a child gets into a vehicle or walks near a road, their life is in someone else’s hands,” Diale-Tlabela said.
She said the provincial government would not tolerate operators who compromise the safety of learners for profit.
The renewed focus on scholar transport safety follows several tragic road accidents involving scholar transport vehicles in 2025, in which learners lost their lives. These incidents, some linked to unroadworthy vehicles, overloading and driver negligence, prompted renewed calls for stricter enforcement and accountability within the sector.
From next week, law enforcement officers and transport inspectors will conduct intensive scholar transport inspections at schools, along transport routes and during peak travel times in the mornings and afternoons. The operations will target roadworthiness, permits, driver compliance and vehicle capacity.
According to the department, any vehicle found to be unroadworthy or operating without the required operating licence will be impounded on the spot. Drivers without valid driving licences will face arrest, while non-compliant operators could be subjected to further legal action.
The department outlined minimum safety requirements for all scholar transport vehicles. These include a valid licence disc and roadworthy certificate, proper fixed seating for every child, functioning seatbelts for all passengers, and strict adherence to the licensed capacity of the vehicle. Vehicles must also be free of critical defects such as faulty brakes, worn tyres, broken lights and damaged windscreens.
Diale-Tlabela also called on parents and caregivers to take responsibility for the transport choices they make for their children, urging them to refuse unsafe services.
“Parents have power. Your money gives you a voice. Do not pay for transport in a vehicle that is visibly unroadworthy, overloaded, or does not have proper seating and working seatbelts,” she said.
She encouraged parents to report unsafe scholar transport vehicles to the department so that enforcement action can be taken.
The MEC further appealed to all motorists to exercise extra caution near schools and scholar transport vehicles, particularly during peak hours when children are arriving at or leaving school.
“You might not have children in your car, but you share the road with them. That child crossing the road could be distracted or running late. You are the adult in control of a ton of metal, and the responsibility to look out for them rests with you,” she said.
Scholar transport safety is a key priority in the Service Delivery Agreement signed between Diale-Tlabela and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. The agreement commits the provincial government to improving road safety and reducing accidents involving learners.
“We committed to ensuring safe roads for every Gauteng learner. Government is doing its part through enforcement. Now we need every driver, every parent and every operator to do theirs,” the MEC said.
The department has urged members of the public to report unsafe scholar transport services on 0861 400 800 or (012) 999-5407.
Meanwhile, with just days left before schools reopen, parents across the province are scrambling to finalise school preparations, including uniforms, stationery and transport arrangements. Gauteng public schools will officially reopen for learners on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, marking the start of Term 1 and the beginning of the 2026 academic year.
