Gauteng Traffic Police have called upon scholar transport operators to exercise caution and make road safety a priority following a growing number of road accidents reported in recent times.

“Despite various road safety measures in place, Gauteng roads continue to experience an increasing number of fatal crashes involving scholar transport operators. The safety of learners within the public transport system remains a priority to law enforcement agencies,” Gauteng Traffic Police spokesperson, Sello Maremane, said on Thursday.

Just a week ago, a scholar bus accident claimed the lives of three learners, while 63 others sustained injuries in Carletonville. The learners were from Wedela Technical High School in Carletonville. Police are investigating the matter.

“Gauteng Traffic Police will continue to intensify road safety strategies to ensure that learners are transported safely to and from their respective schools. This include mechanisms to ensure that overloading, unsafe overtaking, unroadworthy vehicles and excessive speeding is dealt with decisively on Gauteng roads,” Maremane said.

Members of the Gauteng Traffic Police are intensifying operations in the western corridor to ensure that there is provision of safe and reliable scholar transport.

On Wednesday, members of Gauteng Traffic Police, through their operations, discontinued 61 unroadworthy scholar transport vehicles in Khutsong policing precinct as follows: 45 minibuses, eight buses, four light motor vehicles and four light delivery vehicles.

Source: South African Government News Agency