Questions arise as Gauteng transport body distances from driver after 14 children killed

While confirming that the driver's father holds a senior position in the organization, the Gauteng Education Transport Services (GATS) scholar transport association has taken steps to disassociate itself from the driver accused in the tragic Vaal crash that killed 14 students.

The 22-year-old driver, Ayanda Dludla, who is accused of 14 counts of murder in addition to reckless and negligent driving, is not a member of the association, according to Matthew Mokhachane, the provincial chairperson of GATS, despite operating a car that belongs to one of its registered operators.

“Yes, Ayanda was driving a vehicle that belongs to one of our members, but he himself is not a member. Employment does not automatically give you membership in the organisation. The employer is the member, not the driver,” Mokhachane said.

The association also confirmed that Dludla’s father is a member of GATS and serves as deputy chairperson at the regional level in the Vaal but denied reports that he holds the position of chairperson.

“No, he is not the chairperson. He is the deputy chairperson on the regional level in the Sedibeng region,” Mokhachane said.

The fatal crash occurred during the morning school commute on Fred Droste Road in Vanderbijlpark when a scholar transport vehicle collided head-on with a tipper truck. Eleven learners were pronounced dead at the scene, while three others later succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

Mokhachane said GATS was not defending the driver and supported the legal process.

“As an organisation, we don’t stand for anything illegal. We are saying let the law take its course. If the person in charge is found guilty, we allow the Constitution to take its course. As law-abiding citizens, we stand by the safety of our kids,” he said.

However, serious concerns have since emerged regarding compliance and oversight within the scholar transport sector. Mokhachane said he was not aware that the operating permit for the vehicle involved had allegedly expired in November last year.

“I was not aware of that. Schools had just opened, and we were about to start engaging to make sure everyone had the necessary documents for the year,” he added.

He also acknowledged reports that Dludla had previously been reprimanded for reckless driving but said he could not personally confirm the allegations.

“I have heard that he was reprimanded before. However, I can neither confirm nor deny that he was driving recklessly because I have not personally seen him driving,” he said.

On allegations of overloading, Mokhachane admitted it remained an ongoing challenge in the scholar transport industry, although he insisted the association did not encourage the practice.

“We do not stress overloading to our members, but our industry is very complex. Sometimes operators are overloaded with one, two, or three learners. We wish authorities would engage with us to understand these challenges,” he said.

Addressing criticism that GATS had failed to show sympathy to the affected families, Mokhachane said the association had since visited all the families, including those with children still in intensive care.

“We managed to visit all the families on Wednesday. It was traumatic after the accident, but once we gathered our thoughts, we dispatched members to go and offer condolences,” he said.

Mokhachane said the association represents close to 10,000 scholar transport operators across Gauteng and that the tragedy had exposed deep shortcomings within the sector. He described the crash as a wake-up call, stressing the urgent need for stricter regulation, stronger policies and decisive action against reckless driving.

Meanwhile, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has addressed mounting calls for the owner of the scholar transport vehicle to also be arrested, amid claims by grieving parents that the owner personally collected their children that morning before handing the vehicle over to his son.

Chiloane said accountability could not stop with the driver alone, stressing that there must be consequences for the vehicle owner, regardless of whether he was behind the wheel at the time of the crash.

“There must be consequences. Whether you were driving or not, the law is the law,” Chiloane said.

He said the owner bore direct responsibility to families who entrusted him with their children’s lives, particularly as he was the service provider parents had engaged to transport their children to school.

“This is the person parents contacted. This is the person they trusted with their children. He should know better than anyone else what the law requires,” Chiloane said.

Chiloane expressed concern that the vehicle was allegedly handed to a driver without a valid permit to transport children.

“If you give your vehicle to someone who does not have a permit to transport children, you cannot wash your hands and say you are not responsible. You are part of what happened,” he said.

While stressing that he would not interfere with ongoing investigations, Chiloane said he expected law enforcement agencies to act without fear or favour.

“I will wait for the law enforcement agencies to do their work. But I believe the owner should appear in court. He must account for his role in this tragedy,” he said.

Dludla remains behind bars as investigations into the crash continue. He is scheduled to make his second court appearance on March 5.

The Star

masabata.mkwananzi@inl.co.za