By Phila-Nathi Mapisa
Learners in Makana have been affected by a scholar transport strike that began Monday, according to Maarsdorp Cannon, the district official responsible for scholar transport.
Cannon confirmed that the strike, which continued into Tuesday, is the result of the Department of Transport’s failure to pay for services rendered to taxi associations. He said he is still waiting to hear back from school principals to determine the full extent of the impact, but confirmed that learners have definitely been affected.
“We are trying to find a way to work around this situation,” Cannon said. He added that he is monitoring the situation and providing feedback, but does not know when the strike will end.
A member of the Border Alliance taxi association, one of the contracted scholar transport taxi services who asked not to be named, said their organisation has been receiving payments in the districts where they operate but is striking in solidarity with colleagues who have not been paid.
Songezo Mpanda, spokesperson for Santaco Eastern Cape, said the organisation will meet with Premier Oscar Mabuyane on Wednesday. He said the taxi operators have been badly affected and had no choice but to strike.
“Makubhatalwe abantu,” Mpanda said, adding that they hope the meeting with the premier will result in them receiving their payments and prevent similar situations in the future.
Mpanda clarified that despite the strike, matric pupils are still being 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 of the Eastern Cape aware of our grievances,” he said.
A Makhanda high school principal, who asked not to be named, confirmed that matric pupils have been transported to and from school on both Monday and Tuesday.
Budget shortfalls
Democratic Alliance shadow MEC for Education Horatio Hendricks said the issue is primarily about money. He said R797 million has been budgeted to cater for 103 000 learners on the system, but the actual need is R1.1 billion.
Hendricks believes the department will run out of money in November and needs a budget adjustment of R300 million. He said 62 000 learners in the Eastern Cape are supposed to be catered for in the budget but are still not being transported because the Department does not have money for them following the Makhanda High Court ruling.
“It’s a massive problem of funding and funding shortfalls that will ripple into next year,” Hendricks said. He expressed concern about matriculants who are meant to be preparing for final exams but are not attending school.
Hendricks said he will continue to raise the issue with the MEC, Fundile Gade, to find money from National Treasury or Provincial Treasury to fund the shortfall.
He also raised concerns about systemic issues within the department. “The department says that service providers submit the claims late and so the payment is late. But this is not necessarily the full truth. In the first three months of this year, January, February, March, service providers were also not paid. That’s not because of their late submission, but it’s the department running out of money. The Department must have their house in order.” Hendricks said.
Department’s response
Unathi Binqose, spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, confirmed that the strike is happening because of lack of payment for services rendered. He said there is a plan to fix the issue and clarified that not all contracted taxi associations have gone unpaid.
Binqose said the delays are not due to lack of financial ability but because the department needs to ensure that claims and invoices are accurate, have all supporting documents, and verify that services were actually rendered.
“We are handling the situation, and we understand that it is unacceptable for these people to work for these long periods of time without payments,” Binqose said. He asked that taxi associations rectify their paperwork when submitting and ensure that it is correct with all supporting documents so that payments can be made.
Binqose acknowledged that the department has had issues with its systems. “We will take accountability and admit that we have had issues with our systems that when we make out payments the systems would collapse and that would affect the payments of others,” he said.
He confirmed that the majority of service providers have been paid and that the strike action by those who have been paid is in solidarity with colleagues who are yet to receive their payments.
Binqose confirmed that there is a meeting on Wednesday with the premier to find a resolution about non-compliance among some service providers and to admit fault where the department’s systems have let them down.
“All of this, either from our side as the department or the side of the taxis, it mostly affects the children that are not in school,” Binqose said.
He added 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.
Binqose asked for the patience of the community as they work tirelessly to resolve the issue.
