THOUSANDS of school kids in the Eastern Cape were left to walk long distances or stuck at home on Thursday, 30 April.
This after angry taxi bosses parked their scholar transport buses.
Santaco Eastern Cape downed tools on Tuesday, 28 April, and marched to the Premier's office in Bhisho on Wednesday, 29 April.
They are gatvol and say the government hasn't paid them for months.
Santaco Eastern Cape Convener Mzwandile Nkewana said: "It is completely unacceptable that operators are going months and years without payment while continuing to fulfil their obligations to transport learners."
He added that these operators are small business owners who need that money for fuel, maintenance, and wages.
Santaco says no scholar transport will run until they get their money.
Operators gathered at Bhisho Stadium at 10 am on Wednesday.
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DA Shadow MEC for Education, Horatio Hendricks, revealed alarming figures: currently, 115 379 pupils receive transport, while 159 361 qualify.
This means 43 982 pupils have no way to get to school.
"And it's going to get worse," said Hendricks.
He noted that the Makhanda High Court ordered that another 47 661 pupils must be added to the system.
Hendricks blasted the system for failing due to unpaid invoices and poor planning.
Transport MEC, Xolile Nqatha, admitted that R67,46 million from August to November 2025 is still unpaid.
January 2026 invoices have not even been counted yet.
To transport all 163 040 kids who qualify, the province needs R1, 592 billion, but only R871,9 million was budgeted.
That is a shortfall of R720 million.
Nqatha said there are 2 371 registered operators. He warned that if they are not paid, routes will collapse and the poorest communities will suffer.
The Eastern Cape Department of Transport says it is working around the clock to pay.
They blame "technical and system-related challenges" for the delays.
The strike has hit Buffalo City, OR Tambo, and Chris Hani Districts hard.
Hendricks said the DA has written to National Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to request an intervention.
Santaco vowed to stand by its members.
For now, thousands of Eastern Cape kids in rural areas do not know how they will get to school.
