Residents of Ngolo, including pupils from Nyangelizwe Senior Secondary School, blocked an entrance road at Sibangweni on the N2 in Mthatha on Monday after a recent crash left two people dead and 19 injured.
Three pupils remain in hospital at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital after the accident on April 30.
The protestors demanded an end to the use of unlicensed drivers and unroadworthy vehicles to transport pupils, saying they had long raised safety concerns.
Grade 11 pupil Esona Mbulali said learners often feared for their lives. “Our drivers sometimes pick us up and drop us off drunk and they exceed the speed limit. This incident has made us more fearful,” she said.
Community member Asive Ntlokwana said parents joined the protest to underline the seriousness of the issue. “We are the parents of these children whose lives are taken for granted,” she said.
Another pupil, Alulutho Mazaleni, said learners were frustrated by drivers who ignored road rules.
While they remain unproven at this stage, any official found guilty of corruption will face the full might of the law, as well as internal disciplinary action
— Unathi Binqose, Eastern Cape transport department spokesperson
Eastern Cape transport department spokesperson Unathi Binqose said traffic law enforcement teams had been deployed to the area. “We have taken immediate steps by sending our traffic officers to the area to stabilise the situation and reinforce law enforcement,” he said.
Binqose said the department was engaging with community leaders and school representatives to address grievances and improve road safety. He added that allegations of corruption would be taken seriously.
“While they remain unproven at this stage, any official found guilty of corruption will face the full might of the law, as well as internal disciplinary action,” he said.
Ward councillor Ntombovuyo Diko said the vehicle involved in the crash was not roadworthy. “The driver had no licence or PDP [professional driving permit]. The vehicle didn’t have alignment and the brakes were too old. Ordeals of this nature are not something of today; it’s been years,” she said.
Education department spokespersons had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
Community member Melezwa Dyubhele said residents hoped the incident would lead to lasting change. “I hope this serves as a lesson to them, and this time around they truly transform their behaviour,” she said.
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