Hendricks escorted the battered bus from the Glentana off-ramp on the N2 to the Safe Drive Roadworthy & Vehicle Inspection Centre in the George Industrial Area where Willem Marais inspected the vehicle.
Three tyres were smooth, the brakes were defective and the front left headlamp was loose while other lights were not working. Marais added that the air-conditioning unit was also faulty "The passengers were lucky with the cool weather as the bus had no windows that could open." The battery was loose and the engine and differential leaked oil.
Of major concern to Marais was the crack that ran across the driver's windscreen and two replaced passenger windows that did not have the SABS shatterproof mark on them. The rearview mirrors were both loose and the bus had multiple bodywork defects.
Western Cape Traffic Chief Kenny Africa said that any bus in this condition will be taken off the road.
Passenger Kelvin Harris' nightmare journey began in Durban when he was returning home to Cape Town. "The bus broke down in Butterworth and we were transferred to another bus. In Plettenberg Bay we were told that we would continue our journey in a third bus due to technical problems with the vehicle. Now, in George we will have to get onto a fourth vehicle."
Unathi Jamnda, who caught the bus in Port Elizabeth, said it was four hours late. "I phoned the call centre for information but there was no reply."
After a six hour delay in George a local bus operator took the 20 stranded passengers to Cape Town.
Joe Mushwana, the chief operations officer for Roadlink, did not deny the allegations about the defects, but refused to comment.
Damaged bodywork and loose headlights on the Roadlink bus.
ARTICLE: MYRON RABINOWITZ, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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