In a drive to ensure safe transportation of school children, the Pietermaritzburg Road Traffic Inspectorate has embarked on a scholar transport inspection operation which they say is part of their entire year plan.
This week, Provincial Inspectors Simo Bhengu and Ziphezinhle Ndaba took their operation to Hayfields Primary School where they also received commendations from the school principal for their work.
RTI spokesperson Zinhle Mngomezulu emphasized that: “This operation is a 365 day plan. We want to educate “Omalume” about the dangers of overloading children like sardines. We will be looking for unregistered vehicles and vehicles not suitable for the transportation of children – unroadworthy vehicles.”
Bhengu who managed to book a driver who transports children from Imbali Township for failure to display his licence disc, said that the drive was important because “prevention of an accident is better than attending to a live scene where children have perished.”
Ndaba also shared her view, saying that they targeted all the vehicles that transport children including private cars. “We want to do all we can to ensure that our children are safe. We will also check those who transport the children in bakkies,” said Ndaba.
Commending the officers, the school principal Gael Lawrence, said: “I am very happy that you are here to conduct such an inspection. Some of these vehicles carry a lot of children. Your presence here makes us confident that our children will be safe. We welcome you to our school and hope that you can come and visit us on a regular basis.”
Pietermaritzburg Road Traffic Inspectorate embarks on a whole-year scholar transport inspection operation https://t.co/MkiIh5oKll #ArriveAlive @KZNTransport pic.twitter.com/O5jOuu9kKK
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) February 1, 2019