Thousands of Durban pupils were left stranded on Monday morning as a new bus operator was unable start rounds as scheduled owing to a legal challenge.
The Mercury reported that about four operators applied for an interdict against the eThekwini municipality and the provincial department of transport, preventing the transfer of the Remant Alton contract to Transnat.
Transport department spokesperson Nonkululeko Mbatha confirmed that there was a legal challenge, saying that the department would comment later on Monday after the Pietermaritzburg High Court had heard the matter.
”We will comment on the matter later today and we will also tell you the kind of steps that we will be take.”
Reports stated that the operators took the matter to court because they were not happy with the way the contract had been awarded.
Remant Alton ceased operations on June 30 after it experienced serious financial problems. The termination of the bus service left thousands of commuters without public transport.
Transnat was appointed as the new operator on July 9. — Sapa