North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa on Tuesday said that he is heartened by the steady increase in the number of women participating in his department’s Annual Driver Skills Enhancement programme. MEC Yawa said that the defensive driving training programme is growing in leaps and bounds throughout the province because of the continuous increase of the number of participants from local to district levels.
The programme has contributed towards improvement of driving skills among professional women drivers and produced among others role models such as Gertrude Maloka who in 2006 scooped a whooping R15 000 prize and trophy at national level and also represented South Africa at the International Driver Skills competition held in Germany.
The former taxi driver from Rabokala village in Bojanala obtained second position in the Provincial Female Bus driver category in the 2009 Driver Skills Enhancement Programme. She is currentlyemployed as a bus driver by Rustenburg Impala Platinum Minesand was among the 45 drivers from the public transport system, government and transport companies who recently received cash awards and certificate of recognition for their effort in participating in the drivers competition which seeks to reduce road carnages from MEC Yawa.
“The programme has afforded professional women drivers an opportunityto showcase that they are no less than their male counterparts on the road,” said the 44 years old Maloka. She urged drivers to observe road rules and not to take part in road rage.
The MEC commends companies that have shown remarkable interest to support the programme by making available their vehicles and requesting driver training from his department.
Yawa is convinced that sterling performance in the driver skills enhancement programmehas added a meaningful contribution to the generation of quality drivers groomed since his department began with the programme a couple of years ago.
“The long term aim of this programme is to promote driver education in the province, improve standards of driving and ultimately reduce the resultant road accidents. We therefore we belief that driving itself, is a skill to be learnt and perfected on a daily basis,” said Yawa adding that road carnages claim the life of innocent souls.
Enquiries:Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 9123
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
