The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) in the Western Cape has expressed concern over the disruption of learner transport, warning that even a single day of lost teaching time is unacceptable. According to reports, over 21,000 learners were left without transport on Tuesday. The union has placed the blame on the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), stating that they failed to act proactively to prevent the chaos.
The learner transport disruption was caused by a dispute over rising diesel costs between the WCED and the South African National Small Bus Operators Council (SANSBOC-WC). The two parties reached an interim agreement on Wednesday, allowing transport services to resume. However, the dispute is not yet resolved, with further negotiations expected. SADTU deputy provincial secretary Kenneth Williams stated that the union is concerned about the impact of the standoff on learners.
Williams emphasized that learning losses, whether it is one day or one hour, are unacceptable. He stated that the union had been informed that some principals had warned the department about the potential suspension of bus services by operators. The union has received reports that more than 70% of learners were absent at some schools on Tuesday. Williams noted that rural children were mostly affected by the disruption.
The WCED spends R698 million in the 2026/27 financial year transporting more than 71,000 learners every school day. Education MEC Jaco Londt confirmed that transport services had resumed after discussions with SANSBOC. He stated that the department would use the breathing space to continue its internal processes before providing SANSBOC with a response on Friday.
SADTU is set to meet with the WCED on Thursday to seek answers on how the department intends to prevent another disruption. The union's priority is protecting classroom time. Williams stated that they need to ensure that the dispute is being resolved and that measures are put in place to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
The disruption has highlighted the challenges faced by the WCED in providing learner transport. The department has been aware of the rising diesel costs and the potential impact on learner transport. However, the union and the department have differing views on who is responsible for the disruption. SADTU has placed the blame squarely on the WCED, while the department has not commented on the issue.
The meeting between SADTU and the WCED on Thursday is expected to provide clarity on the way forward. The union and the department will discuss measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future. The learners who were affected by the disruption will be closely watched to assess the impact on their academic performance.
Key points
- Over 21,000 learners were left without transport on Tuesday due to a dispute over rising diesel costs.
- The Western Cape Education Department and SANSBOC-WC have reached an interim agreement to resume transport services.
- SADTU has expressed concern over the impact of the disruption on learners and has called for measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
