Executive Mayor of Waterberg District, Cllr Mogotlane Rosina
Head of the Department of Roads and Transport, Mr Ntau Letebele
Officials from the Provincial Department of Education and the Department of Roads and Transport
Officials from the Road Accident Fund
Members of the media
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
It is indeed a great honour and privilege for me to address this unique occasion where we salute learners who have made us proud today by excelling in this challenging competition. The Participatory Educational Technique (PET) programme is a technology transfer project aimed at changing learner attitude towards road safety issues by means of participatory education. This project was initially piloted in KwaZulu-Natal in 2000 and in 2009/10 it was rolled out to the other provinces.
We are proud that this event forms part of our operational radar as it gives us a platform to make our intentions clear, that road crashes will not be tolerated. We are also proud that this event forms part of our October Transport Month activities. My officials and I are travelling all over our province during this month to not only listen-to and address the concerns of our people, but also to preach road safety and responsible usage of our roads. We have lost too many of our future leaders in recent crashes and this must stop NOW!
Programme Director,
To increase road safety awareness amongst the youth, my department, in partnership with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and the Department of Education, hosts the provincial and national PET competitions on an annual basis, targeting high school learners from grades 10 and 11. The main objectives of this programme are to:
- Encourage learners to be aware of road safety issues or problems in their community;
- Empower learners and educators with practical research skills
- Develop and enhance learner’s presentation skills by means of practical presentations sessions; and
- Promote teamwork and participative learning by means of participative techniques.
Programme Director,
The PET project has proven to be one of our most successful road safety programmes that have been undertaken. It is encouraging that our learners are now able to identify road safety problems in and around their schools and communities and are also able to present solutions to the problems.
Limpopo participated in the PET programme for the first time in 2009 when two schools per district were selected for the competition. SJ van der Merwe Technical School was placed first and participated in the national PET competition. Last year, our province was represented in the national finals by AM Mashigo High School from Sekhukhune, which proudly hosted our flag high and was the second runner-up. We are more than confident that the winner of this year’s competition will indeed live up to the high expectations of the people of Limpopo.
Programme Director,
The Medical Research Council’s figures indicate that more than 60% of fatal crashes, especially over weekends, came about as a result of abuse of alcohol either by a driver or pedestrian. We therefore feel that we are moving in the right direction by utilising our youth in the war against road deaths by also appealing to them to be aware of the fatal consequences of drinking and driving. We are encouraged that road safety amongst the youth is now taken seriously through PET and road safety debates at schools.
Programme Director,
We are embarking on a massive education and communication campaign on road safety. We are making huge strides towards ensuring that road safety education forms part of our school curriculum. Apart from the PET project and road safety programmes, my department offers financial assistance in a form of bursaries to students at university who are pursuing fields of civil engineering, transport planning, transport economics and road accident and incident investigation. When we award bursaries, we make an agreement that once they complete their studies, students will work for the department for the period that they were funded. I am appealing to you to make use of this opportunity and apply for financial assistance by the time you complete your grade 12.
Nationally, the Department of Transport has introduced a road safety scholarship in honour of our anti-apartheid icon, Nelson Mandela, in his granddaughter’s name. The Zenani Mandela Road Safety Scholarship is awarded to students who will carry the values and ethos of the Mandela family. The aim of this scholarship is to inspire young leaders of South Africa to join the global movement in reducing road fatalities. This is the reality that is felt by Tata himself after he lost two family members on South African roads. We therefore urge you to work hard in your studies and exams so that you can be selected as a recipient of the scholarship and become the proud ambassador of our province on road safety issues.
It is beyond doubt that PET opens doors for you to pursue the fields of technical and civil engineering.Therefore, I encourage all of you to strike while the iron is still hot.
Programme Director,
Allow me to salute RTMC for coordinating this project in all provinces and for also sponsoring the national finals which will be hosted by our province on 1 November 2011. I also pledge to support this project with the seriousness it deserves, as it forms part of the strategy to reduce carnage in the country.
In conclusion, I wish to thank the principals, staff and the governing bodies gathered here today for cultivating a culture of road safety awareness amongst our children. Our gratitude is further extended to the team of departmental officials for the time dedicated to this occasion. I also appreciate the Department of Education which has allowed me access to the learners to participate in this competition. I would like to wish all pupils the best of luck not only in this competition but also in the forthcoming, year-end examinations as well.
I thank you.
