Some Ceres parents, civil society group protest at school, demand WCED reinstates free bus service

CAPE TOWN - As learners in the Western Cape gear up for the start of the 2025 academic year this week, parents from some primary schools in Ceres say they are worried about their children's safety to and from school.

This after learner transport services for pupils from the Vredebes housing project who attend Morrisdale and Ceres primary schools were cancelled in August last year due to budget constraints.

The distance between Vredebes and the schools also falls outside of the 5-kilometre radius distance required to qualify for free learner transport.

Parents and civil society organisation, Witzenberg Justice Coalition, held a picket at Morrisdale Primary School on Monday, demanding that the Western Cape Education Department to reinstate the free bus service.

The Coalition's Naomi Betana is also calling for the education department to review its scholar transport policy.
 
"Because if you calculate the distance, Vredebes is 4.1km outside Ceres town. There's currently a bus coming from Nduli, which is nearby, going to another high school which means that bus is going past that community. It's not as if it's 1.4km, it's 4.1km, so you can be a bit more lenient with that."

She said that most of the parents from Vredebes cannot afford to pay for transport.

"Most of the people living in Vredebes are pensioners because it's a housing project that was linked to your government subsidy and pensioners got the houses. So, it is unemployed people living there."