KZN slashes scholar transport budget

DURBAN - Equal Education is upset over scholar transport budget cuts in KwaZulu-Natal.

The province reduced the budget by almost R200-million.

READ: Providing safe scholar transport in focus

The lobby group says this will limit access to education and put pupils' lives at risk.

19 pupils were killed in a crash between a bakkie transporting pupils and a truck in the province last year.

READ: SA's Road Carnage | Scholar transport safety in the spotlight

"This will have a huge negative impact on the learners, especially in rural areas," said Mcebisi Kunene.

"Learners often walk long distances to school. The budget cut will limit the right to education.

"We will see an increase in absenteeism and dropouts," he said.