Learners in the Soutpansberg North circuit under Vhembe West have now been out of school for three weeks as the scholar transport crisis deepens, with protests intensifying on Friday, 20 February.
On Friday morning, learners once again barricaded the Musekwa Road (D3671), this time carrying placards to voice their frustration. The protest follows earlier action on Wednesday, 11 February, when pupils blocked the same road with rocks, tree branches and debris, demanding urgent intervention from authorities.
Learners from Tshianane Secondary School say they have been left stranded after scholar transport services became inconsistent and, in many cases, completely unavailable since the start of the 2026 academic year.
One learner told this publication that the school principal addressed them on Thursday and urged them to return to school. He encouraged them to walk to school, saying buses would only return in April.
Parents, however, have taken a firm stance.
“As parents, our primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our children. We cannot, in good conscience, allow them to walk such dangerous routes while waiting for a solution that has no clear implementation date,” the letter reads.
The transport impasse has significantly disrupted learning, with many pupils opting to stay at home rather than walk long distances under unsafe conditions.
Limpopo Department of Education spokesperson Mike Maringa earlier said the bus owner had temporarily withdrawn the buses after one of the vehicles was allegedly struck with stones.