Cape Town - A desperate matric pupil “stole” a bus to drive his fellow pupils to school because he was afraid they might miss their examination.
Le-Aan Adonis, 20, might be a hero to his friends for getting them to school on time to write Math Literacy, but he will have to pay a heavy price for his daring actions.
Adonis now faces hefty fines totalling R5 000 for driving without a licence, as well as driving without a Public Driver’s Permit (PDP).
The Kleinmond matrics say they got nervous when their driver had not showed up by 7.30am to take them to Hawston Secondary School, and decided to take matters into their own hands.
One pupil said: “Another boy wanted to drive the bus, maar ons het opgedruk dat Le-Aan moet ry (but we refused and insisted Le-Aan drive) because we trust him and we know he can drive a bus.
“We were about 11 matrics and we were scared we would be late for the exams.”
The pupils said they even thought up a story to cover up for Adonis if a traffic cop should stop them.
“We said if we’re stopped, he must sit with us and we would just say the driver ran away,” explained the 18-year-old.
And indeed, a traffic official stopped them just a few hundred metres from the school.
Neville Michaels, Director of Overstrand Protection Services, confirmed that they rhad eceived a complaint about a pupil driving the school bus.
Michaels says: “A traffic official stopped the bus at the school and noticed the learner behind the steering wheel. The official fined the learner for driving without a driver’s licence as well as a PDP.”
School principal Idy Adams said he was told the driver did not arrive on time: “Another driver started up the bus and told the learners to wait while he drove the other vehicle to school.
“The pupil feared that he would be late for his exam and under pressure from his friends decided to drive the bus,” explained Adams.
Donovan Hanekom, owner of Hanekoms Bus Services, said the driver who was late will face a disciplinary hearing and the company will make a contribution towards the fine.
The Education Department is aware of the incident and said the school will apply their Code of Conduct and take steps to avoid a repeat of the scenario.
Adonis' unhappy dad Louis Adonis, 50, feels his son shouldn’t be punished alone.
Adonis said: “He wouldn’t have done it on his own, so the other kids and bus owner should also accept responsibility.”
Daily Voice
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