Police intercept scholar transport packed with 22 learners in a seven‑seater minibus before the driver flees. Picture Credit: TimesLive
By Aisha Zardad
Polokwane – Traffic enforcement officers in Polokwane’s Ladanna area intercepted a seven‑seater minibus severely overloaded with 22 school learners on Wednesday, prompting condemnation from transport authorities and renewed calls for prioritising road safety for children.
According to a statement from the Limpopo Department of Transport and Community Safety, officers discovered the overloaded vehicle during routine traffic enforcement. Upon noticing law enforcement officials, the driver abandoned the minibus and fled the scene, leaving the learners unattended.
The department described the act of overloading a vehicle well beyond its legal seating capacity — particularly when transporting learners — as a serious traffic offence and a “recipe for disaster.” Officials emphasised that placing so many children in a vehicle designed for far fewer passengers endangers their lives and undermines basic road safety protocols.
“This incident is a stark reminder of the importance of prioritising road safety, especially when transporting learners,” the department said in its statement, urging parents, drivers, and transport operators to be responsible and ensure children are transported safely and in compliance with transport regulations.
Authorities reiterated their commitment to working closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure that individuals responsible for such violations are held accountable. Members of the public have been encouraged to report unsafe or suspicious scholar transport vehicles by calling the relevant hotline.
The interception comes amid heightened scrutiny of scholar transport safety following a deadly crash in Vanderbijlpark that claimed the lives of 12 pupils earlier in the week. In that case, a 22‑year‑old driver is expected to appear in the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court on 12 counts of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving, as investigations continue.
Officials reiterated that improving safety standards and enforcing transport regulations remains a priority as South Africans grapple with recent tragedies involving learner transport.
