GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Parliament
14 January 2025
Half-empty school busses don’t stop for Ceres primary school pupils, who must trek five kilometres to school each day – and back – because their homes are 200m short of qualifying for free transport laid on by the Western Cape Education Department.
Yesterday, when parents at Morrisdale Primary School in Ceres staged a sit-in at the school to demand transport for their children, the school was instructed by the circuit manager to call the police to evict them.
Calling the police flies in the face of MEC for Education David Maynier’s promise, at an Education Committee meeting on 29 November 2024, that his department would engage with parents to find a solution.
The children don’t just walk to school; they risk life and limb, navigating ganglands and crossing highways.
The obvious solution to facilitate access to education for children from the poorest communities in Ceres and Tulbagh is for the Department to continue providing school transport – as it did before the decision late last year to suddenly withdrew the service.
Cancelling the service perpetuates inequality, creating barriers to education for working-class families and compromising the safety of young learners.
No South African children, regardless of class, culture or creed, should be forced to undertake hazardous journeys to get to and from school. The injustice is compounded by the fact that there are unoccupied seats on busses within easy reach.
It is disgraceful, in the circumstances, that the first instinct of elite politicians and civil servants is to threaten concerned parents with police action.
We call on the provincial government to urgently re-evaluate the bus routes and the withdrawal of services from these children. The rule about having to live at least five kilometres from school to qualify for free transport is arbitrary and too rigidly applied.
Common sense must prevail. Education policies must prioritise the safety, dignity, and right to education of all children. None should be left behind.
Media enquiries:
Brett Herron, GOOD: Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Parliament
Cell: 082 5183264
Email: bretth@forgood.org.za
Samantha Jackson, GOOD: Media Manager
Cell: 083 5509875
Email: samantha@forgood.org.za