Riot Hlatshwayo

Riot Hlatshwayo

The congestion of applicants at the Mhala testing station in Thulamahashe, near Bushbuckridge, continues unabated. with the affected people now calling on Mpumalanga MEC for roads and transport to intervene.

Mhala is the only testing station serving the entire Bushbuckridge area of about a million people.

Some applicants told Sowetan that they had slept at the gate of the station for two days to be first when the offices open.

"The only solution here would be for the MEC to intervene and do something about our situation," said one of the applicants, Victor Mthabini.

One of the driving school owners, Rogers Mkharhi, reiterated Mthabini's sentiments, saying the problem was affecting driving schools as well.

"The problem affects all of us because only a certain number of individuals get tested in a day, so our business is no longer profitable," Mkharhi said.

When Sowetan visited the station some applicants were still under their blankets on the street in front of the testing station after having slept there the previous night.

Bushbuckridge municipality spokesman Zondi Mkhabela confirmed that there was a congestion problem at the station.

He said solutions were being sought in the meantime but confirmed that "that would not be any time soon".