A bus driver at the Municipal Bus Depot in Boksburg, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was angry with the way the management handled the situation, because the drivers and the occupants were not given any notice that the buses won’t be operating.
Some of the children who attend schools around Boksburg missed school at a result.
“What happened today is inexplicable. I feel bad for those parents who dropped off their children at the bus stops, thinking that the buses would arrive,” said the driver.
He said a similar incident took place about three weeks ago, but they managed to fill the buses with diesel at the last minute.
According to the people the Advertiser spoke to, the reason the buses didn’t operate was the lack of diesel.
It is alleged that the problem lies with the management of the Ekurhuleni Metro Bus Services.
Mandy Lata, who attends Voortrekker High School, confirmed that the buses didn’t arrive in the morning.
“Luckily I was notified by one of the drivers that the buses were not operating. I then let the other children know what was happening but some of them did not believe me.
“I then went back home and my mother gave me taxi fare and I managed to attend school even though I was late. Some of the other learners didn’t come to school and others were dropped off by their parents.”
Furious parent Masilo Koaho blamed everything on the “pathetic Bus Services management”.
“This thing happens several times every year – I mean how do you fail to plan for diesel? Sometimes children miss school just because a bus driver is sick.”
The Advertiser visited the Municipal Bus Depot on the morning of February 9 and found the buses to be operational again.
The Advertiser is awaiting comment from the metro.
