Scholar transport woes in the North West remain far from being resolved. While the Department of Transport in the province says over 50 percent of outstanding invoices have been processed and paid, service providers say the backlog persists.
The department says the delay is compounded by glitches in internal payment processes.
Operators say the non-payment of invoices is having an adverse impact on the transportation of learners.
"There is no payment that is coming through, its drip by drip. So, we are experiencing a very serious challenge as service providers and we are up to here. They are treating us as scum bags," says an operator.
"The department is just ducking and diving. Every week they say they will pay us but until today nothing is happening but the department isn't blamed for anything. Everything is blamed on us because we have to transport the learners. They don't acknowledge that we don't have money, there is nothing," says another transport provider.
