MAHIKENG MAIL - MAHIKENG: The MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng, briefed the media on Tuesday regarding the ongoing progress on paying scholar transport operators who, from last week, stopped to operate due to non-payment from the department.
While some service providers could operate, others could not, as they had no financial means.
In the media briefing, the MEC indicated that the scholar transport contract had 446 operators, whom through their Service level agreement (SLA), were expected to have roadworthy buses, to transport learners to school without failure and not to endanger the safety of learners. Now, 90 operators have had their contract terminated for contravening one or more of the expectation of the SLA.
“We have 928 invoices to date and we have processed 552. We have experienced system failure on processes of payment, and as a result, have requested Treasury to use a two way payment method. To date, we are disbursing a two way payment system as one. We are now disbursing payment on Tuesday and Fridays. We have already met with the operators to explain the challenges we have experienced. We are continuing to meet and engage to keep operators abreast so that learners do not suffer. As part of the intervention to ensure operators are paid within the 30 days period, we implemented the payment system used at national called ‘Re a patella’ - an invoice tracking system that will allow us to quickly address areas where invoices are delayed.”.
Scholar Transport Operators respon-ding to the recent media briefing said the department created the challenges they are faced with today. “The department’s actions have created a financial crisis for operators who entered the bus operations business debt-free, but are now struggling with serious debts. Some operators can take their learners to school while some can’t because they have no money. The department’s failure to pay us and using system failure as exuses, is a deflection of responsibility for its own failures, by blaming the operators. For a bus to ope-rate, it needs regular maintenance, but with no money we end up with unroadworthy buses.”
Some operators are sceptical of the department’s claims that payment methods were a challenge, believing instead that the department is using the Treasury as a scapegoat. They argue that scholar transport is an essential service, and the department’s failure to prioritise payments to the operator has had devastating consequences. By pointing fingers at the department, operators aim to highlight the need for a more collaborative and sustainable solution to the scholar transport crisis.
