Covering South African education and provincial budgets for more than 15 years, I’ve seen the same story repeat: learners walking dangerous distances to school while transport budgets underspend or arrive late. The South Africa School Transport Allowance 2025: How Learners Can Claim the R870 Monthly Benefit is government’s attempt to close that gap for the poorest households.
The learner transport system is not a single national cash grant. It’s a mix of subsidised buses/taxis and, in some areas, a transport allowance, which is often benchmarked at around R870 per learner per month. How it works depends heavily on your province and school.
What Is the South Africa School Transport Allowance 2025?
In practice, learner transport support in 2025 will follow the same framework used over the last few years under the National Learner Transport Programme:
- The provincial department of education (often with the department of transport) identifies schools and routes.
- In many areas, learners are placed on contracted buses or taxis.
- In areas where that’s not possible, some provinces use a transport allowance, with a maximum value of about R870 per learner per month in the 2024/25 cycle.
That R870 figure is not a universal “cash in hand” grant. It represents the maximum monthly support value per learner used in provincial planning. In some cases, the allowance is paid to parents; in others, it is paid to the transport provider directly.
Who Qualifies for the R870 Monthly School Transport Benefit?
Exact criteria are set by each province, but after years of studying provincial circulars from KZN, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo and others, the core rules are very similar.
General eligibility
Most provinces require that:
- The learner attends a public school registered with the provincial education department.
- The distance from home to school is beyond a minimum threshold, often:
- Around 5 km or more for primary school learners
- Up to 10 km or more for secondary school learners
- There is no closer suitable public school that the learner could reasonably attend.
- The household cannot afford daily private transport.
Priority groups
When budgets are tight (and they usually are), priority is given to:
- Learners at no-fee (Quintile 1–3) schools
- Rural and deep rural communities with no safe walking route
- Learners with disabilities or special needs
- Learners already identified as vulnerable through school nutrition and fee exemption systems
The R870 amount is often the upper limit of what the province will subsidise per month, based on distance and route cost. Some learners will receive a lower effective subsidy if they live closer or if shared transport is cheaper.
How Learners Can Claim the R870 Monthly Benefit
From experience, the biggest mistake parents make is trying to start at the provincial office. In reality, the process always starts with the school.
1. Start at the school office
- Ask the principal or School Governing Body (SGB) whether the school is part of the 2025 learner transport programme.
- Request the learner transport application form or the specific provincial form used in your district.
2. Complete the application with the correct documents
You will typically need:
- Completed learner transport or transport allowance form
- Certified copy of the learner’s birth certificate or ID
- Certified copies of parent/guardian IDs
- Proof of address (municipal bill, lease, or sworn affidavit)
- Where required, proof of income or unemployment affidavits
Hand the form back to the school; they submit it to the district office or the provincial learner transport unit.
3. Distance and route verification
The district will:
- Verify the distance from home to school (often using mapping tools)
- Confirm school enrolment and whether there is a closer school
- Recommend either placement on a transport route or a transport allowance if no route exists
4. Approval and communication
Once decisions are made:
- For bus/taxi routes:
- Parents receive details of pickup points, times and operator.
- For allowances:
- Parents are informed of the monthly value approved (up to R870)
- They are told how it will be paid – either to them (via bank) or via the school to a local operator.
How and When the R870 Is Paid
Where a direct allowance model is used:
- Payments are usually made monthly during school terms, or sometimes once per term.
- Payment methods vary:
- EFT into a parent/guardian bank account, or
- Managed centrally by the school to pay a trusted transport provider.
In all provinces, one principle is constant: the money is meant for transport only, not as a general cash top‑up.
Common Issues That Cause Delays or Rejection
Having seen numerous Auditor-General reports and oversight visits, these five issues come up repeatedly:
- Incomplete forms (missing signatures, no ID copies).
- Unclear or fake addresses – if distance can’t be verified, applications stall.
- Late applications after provincial transport budgets have already been allocated.
- Parents assuming every learner automatically gets R870 – this is not a universal benefit.
- Confusion between school transport support and SASSA grants – they are completely separate systems.
FAQ: South Africa School Transport Allowance 2025
1. Does every learner get R870 per month in cash?
No. The R870 is generally the maximum monthly support value per learner used in planning. In many cases, the province pays bus or taxi operators directly. Only in some areas is an allowance paid to parents.
2. Can I apply for the school transport allowance directly at the provincial office?
You can, but practically the process must start at the school. The school confirms enrolment and distance, and then submits everything to the district or province.
3. Is the school transport allowance a SASSA grant?
No. It is an education/transport subsidy, not a SASSA social grant. It does not affect Child Support Grants, Foster Grants or other SASSA benefits.
4. My child lives 3 km from school. Can we still qualify?
Unlikely. Most provinces set minimum distance thresholds (often around 5 km for primary learners). However, learners with disabilities or serious safety concerns may be considered even at shorter distances, depending on provincial policy.
5. Where can I find official information for my province for 2025?
Check the:
- School principal or SGB
- Provincial Department of Education website
- Provincial Department of Transport learner transport section
- Official circulars sent to schools at the start of the school year
