Transport costs kept 15% of surveyed South Africans from school or work, Ipsos says
An Ipsos survey found that 15% of respondents had missed education or work because they could not afford transport.
Fifteen percent of South Africans surveyed by Ipsos said they had missed school, university, college or work because they could not afford transport.
The finding comes from an Ipsos survey conducted in June and July. Natalie Otte of Ipsos told eNCA the result could represent almost seven million people when projected across the population.
The Free State recorded the highest reported impact in the survey, followed by the Northern Cape and Gauteng.
Otte said the pattern reflected more than fare prices alone. Long distances between homes, schools and jobs, settlement patterns, uneven employment opportunities and limited transport infrastructure all shaped the burden.
The survey points to the practical cost of moving between where people live and where they study or earn an income. For affected respondents, unaffordable travel resulted in missed classes, lectures or working days.
Ipsos has not said that every absence in the country is caused by transport costs. The 15% figure refers specifically to people in its June and July survey who reported that affordability had kept them from education or work.
The findings were published as household budgets remain under pressure and transport remains an essential expense for millions of commuters who travel by minibus taxi, bus, train or private vehicle.