By Phila-Nathi Mapisa
A Scholar Transport strike that affected learners in Makana has been resolved following a meeting between Premier Oscar Mabuyane and the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) yesterday.
Unathi Binqose, spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, confirmed that the meeting went well. “We agreed that the strike is over and we’ve reached a resolution,” he said.
Songezo Mpanda, spokesperson for Santaco Eastern Cape, confirmed that the Scholar Transport services are operating today. He said they expect to receive payments next week and have made arrangements for regular meetings with the MEC of Transport, Xolile Nqatha, to avoid similar build-ups and unhappiness in the future.
Background
The strike began earlier this week as a result of the Department of Transport’s failure to pay for services rendered to taxi associations, according to Maarsdorp Cannon, the district official responsible for Scholar Transport.
A member of the Border Alliance Taxi Association, one of the contracted Scholar Transport services, said their organisation had been receiving payments in the districts where they operate but was striking in solidarity with colleagues who had not been paid.
During the strike matric pupils continued to be transported to school to prepare for their final exams. “We have no intention to punish the learners in this strike but are trying to make the department aware of our grievances,” Mpanda had said earlier this week.
Department’s response
Prior to the resolution, Binqose had explained that the payment delays happened because the department needed to ensure that claims and invoices were accurate, all supporting documents were present and that services were actually rendered.
He said: “We will take accountability and admit that we have had issues with our systems. Binqose emphasised that the department remains committed to ensuring that people receive their payments but wants the community to understand that taxpayers’ money must be used with caution and wisdom.
“Our strict systems in screening invoices and all necessary paperwork are to avoid taxpayers’ money being used wrongfully, and we need to ensure that services were actually rendered,” he said.
