The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport has grounded 63 unroadworthy scholar transport vehicles after failing the safety inspection.
A total of 198 fleets was inspected. Officials inspected 143 buses, 48 minibuses and seven midibuses.
43 buses, 18 minibuses and two midibuses failed the inspection.
The inspection was carried out by a team of road traffic inspectors and the public transport service’s Operation ‘Shanela’.
In a statement, spokesperson for Transport and Human Settlement, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said the main focus was to ensure the safety of more than 77,000 pupils.
“The inspection is focusing on driver permits, tyres, brakes, seatbelts, suspension and the entire condition of the vehicle.”
Sibiya said so far, 198 vehicles were inspected, including 143 buses, 48 minibuses and seven mid-buses.
“Based on the report from Shanela, a total of 63 vehicles failed the inspection. The owners have been instructed to attend to all mechanical failures as stipulated in the contract with the Department of Transport,” Sibiya added.
The inspectors began their work on 9 January 2026 and plans to visit more than 26 satellite stations across the province.
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