Young boy stranded by bus driver walks 40 km to Khayelitsha: 'None of us are okay'
An 11-year-old child was forced to walk from Simon’s Town to Khayelitsha after being kicked off his bus home after losing his ticket.
FILE: Golden Arrow buses parked at the Cape Town bus terminal. Pictures: Bertram Malgas/Eyewitness News
Lester Kiewit speaks with Siba, the mom of 11-year-old Lifalethu.(Watch in the video player below)
Siba’s worst nightmare became a reality when her young son did not return from school on the bus he usually takes.
She alerted the authorities who began the frantic search, and he was eventually found at 10:05 pm, five minutes from his home.
At this stage, he had walked almost 40 km from Simon’s Town to his home in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, and was exhausted.
It turns out he had misplaced his ticket and the Golden Arrow bus driver refused to give him a ride.
The bus driver has been suspended as the company’s policy is that drivers must assist uniformed minors who lost their tickets.
Lifalethu was with his two younger siblings, who had their tickets. The bus driver angrily kicked him off when he could not find his.
He walked behind the bus but eventually fell behind.
“He did not have a cell phone. We could not contact him.”
- Siba, Lifalethu's mom
Siba says she is not satisfied with the driver being suspended. She wants the company to fire him to ensure he cannot do this to other children.
“We cannot trust him with our kids if he is going to leave a young boy stranded, making him walk eight hours in the dark to get home.”
- Siba, Lifalethu's mom
“We are not okay. None of us are okay.”
- Siba, Lifalethu's mom
Scroll up to the media player to listen or watch the interview.