Download PDFFor years, the cost of school transport has been an ongoing debate. With the recent school holidays, tensions have escalated between parents and school transport providers over charges incurred on days when students did not attend school. Many parents argue that it is unfair to be charged full-month fees, even when schools were closed for holidays.
A number of parents are now speaking out, saying they cannot afford to pay the full monthly fee, especially with many relying on social grants.
Transport drivers, however, are standing their ground. Roy Mathe, a local school transport driver, defended his decision to charge the full fare, saying it is operational costs, “The car needs petrol. It’s not my fault that the school was closed. I even notified parents after the schools closed that they would still need to pay the full amount when schools reopen.”
Many parents are calling for a more transparent and flexible arrangements between school transport providers and parents, especially during irregular school months. Without such arrangements, it is the children who ultimately lose out on their education.
This article was submitted on 7 October 2025. You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and Karibu! Online (www.Karibu.org.za), and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.
