Byline: Nonjabuliso Nhlambo

12 January 2023

Parents and guardians of learners registered at Emdibini Primary School who reside in Kinross had to turn back home with their children meanwhile others walked more than an estimation of 8km from Afghanistan (Kinross) to the school.

It is alleged that more than 200 learners missed the first day of school including those that are going to the first grade.

According to the parents yesterday, 11 January 2023 the bus services responsible for the transportation of children to school came with an instruction to collect only 65 learners leaving behind the rest.

This is after the owner of the bus sacrificed to take to trips the previous year in order to accommodate all leaners.

After failure to come to agreement with the Mpumalanga Department of Education, the bus owner resorted to taking one trip with each of the two buses allocated.

It is further alleged that the learners who attempted to walk to school in the morning were later turned down by  the bus driver in the afternoon claiming he did not take them in the morning therefore could not drive them back home.

On Thursday 12 January 2022 parents woke up in the early hours to queue for the bus in an attempt to get their children to be part of the 65 learners who will make it on the trip to school.

In their attempt to make things fair, a line was formed for the learners to determine the first 65.

Upon observation by the Seskhona team on the morning of 12 January, two buses came with one already partially full and one which was empty.

One bus driver instructed the parents that he was only taking 65 of the learners.

Chaos broke when other lines were disrupted with other learners trying to occupy space on the other bus.

Parents therefore stood their ground and came to the decision that the buses should leave without any learner if others will be left behind.

The buses left without taking any learner.

Parents said the school has scheduled a meeting which will be held on Sunday, 15 January 2023 regarding the transport issue, therefore they will wait.