LOOK: Authorities impound 11 scholar transport vehicles during crackdown in Polokwane
Eleven scholar transport vehicles were impounded in Ladanna, Polokwane, during a targeted law enforcement operation by the Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety.
Image: Supplied
Eleven scholar transport vehicles were impounded on Wednesday during a targeted law enforcement operation in Ladanna, Polokwane, as authorities intensified their crackdown on illegal learner transport operations.
The Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety said the vehicles were seized during an operation conducted by its Public Transport Unit after they were found to be operating in violation of transport legislation.
According to the department, the vehicles failed to comply with permit conditions, roadworthiness standards and safety regulations governing the transportation of learners, placing children’s lives at serious risk.
“The safety of learners remains a non-negotiable priority, and operators who choose to flout the law will face decisive consequences,” the department said, warning that sanctions could include vehicle impoundment, fines and possible criminal prosecution.
The operation, carried out in the Ladanna area of Polokwane, forms part of an ongoing province-wide enforcement programme aimed at restoring compliance and discipline within the scholar transport sector.
Authorities said similar operations are continuing across Limpopo to ensure that all vehicles transporting learners are legally permitted, roadworthy and compliant with safety requirements.
The department commended traffic law enforcement officials and the Public Transport Unit for their vigilance and commitment to protecting learners.
Parents and guardians were urged to ensure that the scholar transport services used for their children are properly registered and meet all legal and safety standards. Scholar transport operators were also warned to immediately regularise their operations or face firm action from authorities.
Members of the public have been encouraged to report unsafe or suspicious vehicles by calling 0800 006 694.
The incident occurred in the Ladanna area, where traffic enforcement officers discovered the severely overloaded vehicle. According to the Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety, the driver abandoned the minibus and fled the scene upon noticing law enforcement officials.
The department said it was appalled by the driver’s conduct, describing overloading as a serious traffic offence and a “recipe for disaster”, particularly when it involves learner transport.
Traffic officials discovered a seven-seater minibus overloaded with 22 learners in the Ladanna area of Polokwane before the driver fled the scene.
Image: Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety
On the other hand, the 22-year-old scholar transport driver accused of causing a crash that claimed the lives of 12 learners in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng,is expected to appear before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The driver faces 12 counts of culpable homicide as well as charges of reckless and negligent driving following the deadly crash, which occurred on Monday.
The accident, which sent shockwaves across Gauteng and the country, involved a scholar transport vehicle and a truck. Twelve learners died from the crash, while several others sustained injuries.
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