Statement by Bulelani Bobotyane, Provincial Deputy Secretary of the UDM in the Eastern Cape

The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Eastern Cape is once again dismayed by the Eastern Cape provincial government’s irresponsible handling of funds.

Despite being contracted by the Eastern Cape Department of Transport to transport 103,000 pupils through the scholar transport programme, the operators are encountering payment delays. Despite a budget of R725 million for the 2024/25 financial year, the Department is struggling to disburse R120 million to these operators.

The ANC government’s corruption agenda is evident in the shameful four-month payment delay, which has severely impacted the livelihoods of transport operators. This delay reflects the department’s disregard for the operators, causing significant financial strain for many households.

The UDM understand the frustration and anger driving the actions of the transport operators. Despite civil complaints to the ANC government, which have been consistently ignored, the government only seems to respond to protests. It’s distressing to learn that some operators’ taxis have been repossessed due to their inability to afford monthly instalments. The ANC provincial government is directly responsible for many social ills and challenges in the Eastern Cape, leading to significant suffering among the people.

We however sympathise with hundreds of thousands of commuters across various parts of the Eastern Cape who were left stranded by the strike. Operators participating in the scholar transport program suspended their services and blockaded roads, demanding payment from the department.

The strike that could have been avoided had the Department done its job, has affected many innocent commuters, people were unable to get to hospitals, pupils are missing school because there won’t be any ferrying of pupils until the payment is made, and the economic activities were severely affected.

The ANC provincial government has demonstrated its inability to address the challenges facing the Eastern Cape Province. Therefore, the capable leadership of the UDM would be better equipped to develop the province and enhance the standard of living for its residents.

The UDM calls for the Eastern Cape Department of Transport to account for their failure of paying the transport operators, provide detailed reasons that led to the delays. Also, we demand a detailed financial report on the R725 million that was allocated for the programme in the 2024/25 financial year.