The blame game after traffic accidents involving scholars helps no one

Deputy Transport Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa briefed Parliament’s special committee on education, science and the creative industries on Tuesday.

Hlengwa said hasty conclusions would only jeopardize the police investigation.

“What we are really asking for is restraint from the political space, the departmental space and the supervisory space to say: let us not make assumptions or conclusions about what could have caused the accident. This kind of speculation, which we see as an immediate reaction to an accident, is fundamentally problematic,” Hlengwa told MPs.

Hlengwa revealed that the department and Road Traffic Management Corporation have reached an agreement to improve road safety for scientists.

The safety of students on the country’s roads recently hit the headlines when 11 students and a driver were killed when the taxi they were traveling in rolled over and caught fire.

“This allows us to be notified of any incidents related to science transport and assist other stakeholders during the investigation process,” Hlengwa said.

During the briefing, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said the aim of the National Learner Scholar Transport Program is to ensure easy, safe and punctual mobility for learners in need.

However, she admitted that the system faces numerous problems.

“The scholar transportation model – number one, it’s not consistent across the country. Secondly, it has not worked out well in certain cases,” she said.

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