MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) – Angry commuters demanded their money back when they found out that the buses they were traveling in were dangerous and unroadworthy.

In a clampdown on unroadworthy vehicles on Monday (9th) on the N1 just north of town, three buses were impounded. One of the buses was not licensed and two were without brakes. Some of the tyres of the buses were in an appalling condition, ready to burst at any time.

One of the traffic officials from the Makhado Municipality, Mr Nico Theunissen, explained to the passengers why they had to get off the buses. He spelled out the dangers of travelling in unroadworthy and unlicensed vehicles, which would leave them without any claim in the case of injury or death. Some thanked him and they all managed to get alternative transport.

In the same operation, one taxi, two trucks and two other buses with lesser defects were pulled off.

The owner of the three unroadworthy buses said that he was "very cross" with the traffic officials and showed his three tickets with a fine of R500 each. He said that the traffic official should only have given him a warning because of the condition of the tyres.

In a similar operation in January, on the Thohoyandou /Dzanani road, a bus driver without a licence in an unlicenced bus was issued with a warning. The warning was ignored and the next day the same unlicenced bus was pulled off and the same driver arrested. The lives and interests of commuters are evidently not valued highly by transport companies.