Question NW1362 to the Minister of Transport
23 May 2023 - NW1362
Van Zyl, Ms A M to ask the Minister of Transport
(1)What (a) is the allocated budget for scholar transport for each province and (b) procedures and processes are in place to ensure that the budget allocated for scholar transport is not mismanaged; (2) whether each province has received their full budget for the 2023-24 financial year; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) what total number of learners in each province (a) are reliant on scholar transport, (b) are provided for and (c) are able to make use of scholar transport?
Reply:
1. (a) Funding of learner transport is provided by the provincial treasuries through provincial equitable share. The total budget of scholar transport for 2022/2023 was R4,175,636,000.00 and is illustrated in the table below:
|
Province |
Annual Budget 2023/2024 |
|
Eastern Cape |
R 694,000,000.00 |
|
Free State |
R 102,400,000.00 |
|
Gauteng |
R 1,046,934,000.00 |
|
KwaZulu Natal |
R 266,400,000.00 |
|
Limpopo |
R 466,231,000.00 |
|
Mpumalanga |
R 464,891,000.00 |
|
North West |
R 450,000,000.00 |
|
Northern Cape |
R 191,481,000.00 |
|
Western Cape |
R 493,299,000.00 |
|
TOTAL |
R 4,175,636,000.00 |
(b) The Department of Transport has developed a National Learner Transport Policy in order to ensure effective and efficient management of learner transport across the country. The policy provides that a standardised measure of remuneration for subsidised learner transport and that it shall be based on total kilometres travelled. Factors such as road conditions and travel distances shall determine the cost of a service. The Department has further developed a standard contract guideline that provinces could use in the contracting of transport operations. The policy further provides that the implementing departments must ensure that learner transport services are undertaken according to procurement legislation and Treasury regulations.
2. Funding of learner transport is provided by the provincial treasuries through provincial equitable share. There is no funding of scholar transport from National Department of Transport.
3. According to the progress reports for provinces in relation to the National Learner Transport Programme for the financial year of 2022.2023, the implementation of the programme is summarised as follows:
