Engineering News reports that the Makhanda High Court on Wednesday issued an order compelling the Minister of Transport and the Eastern Cape MEC for Transport to work with the SA Police Service (SAPS) to develop a plan to provide for the safety and security of Intercape’s drivers and passengers in the province.

In handing down the order, Judge John Smith said there was a duty on the state to act so that the “lives of [Intercape] drivers and passengers were not left in the balance”. In terms of the order, which came into effect immediately, the respondents must develop a revised plan on the steps they intended taking to ensure that reasonable and effective measures were put in place to provide for the safety and security of long-distance bus drivers and passengers in the Eastern Cape. Pending the development of the revised action plan, the respondents were ordered to ensure that a visible law enforcement presence was maintained at each loading point in hotspot towns and areas during the times Intercape’s buses were scheduled to stop at these points. The Court also ruled that law enforcement escorts were to be provided to the applicant’s buses along hotspot routes, as well as any other routes, “as and when requested by the applicant on account of a legitimate concern over a risk of intimidation or violence”. In recent weeks, there have been a spate of fresh attacks against Intercape coaches in the Eastern Cape. In its latest submission, Intercape noted that the same court had ordered the respondents in September 2022 to develop a comprehensive action plan regarding Intercape’s services in the province, but the MEC and the Minister had not yet complied with that court order.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard at Engineering News
• Lees ook, Hooggeregshof beslis weer in Intercape se guns, by Maroela Media

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