Interested parties have until 13 September 2006 to object to an agreement between the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and the Western Cape Bus Operators’ Association (WCBOA) on learner transport tenders.

Mr Justice Jamie made the agreement an order of the Cape High Court on 30 August 2006. The WCBOA published an advertisement today (6 September 2006) setting out the terms of the agreement.

In terms of the agreement, the WCED has extended the deadline for 44 bus tenders to 13 September 2006. The department has also withdrawn pending tenders for learner transport, except for one that is the subject of a separate court settlement.

The WCED will only advertise tender invitations after consultation with the WCBOA and other interested parties. The department will extend existing contracts on an ad hoc basis for either 12 months, or until new contracts are signed, whichever occurs last.

The WCED has turned down bids by many members of the association in recent months because they did not meet the department’s new tender requirements.

The department changed the requirements recently to allow contractors to provide buses from any province, to ensure fair competition, while still requiring contractors to test buses in the Western Cape.

Other requirements included ensuring that every learner has a seat, as an additional measure to ensure learner safety.

The WCED and the WCBOA discussed a wide range of issues at two meetings on 24 and 28 August, including price structures, learner safety, contract termination and payment issues. The WCED and WCBOA differed on some issues and agreed on others. The two bodies will continue to consult to resolve outstanding issues.