The Eastern Cape Department of Transport held a graduation ceremony of 18 bicycle spares shop managers from all six districts of the province in East London this morning.
This ceremony marks the completion of their eight weeks intensive training on basic business skills management course, which will enable them to run the 18 shipping containers that were converted into bicycle shops in areas, where most of the bicycles were distributed under the Shova Kalula Bicycle project.
These graduates were identified by their local communities in close proximity to the containers after a request by the department to identify suitable candidates to be trained as bicycle shop managers. The department appointed a training service provider to train the identified candidates to become sustainable bicycle shop owners or managers.
“The department has already approached the Transport Education and Training Authority for funding to monitor, mentor and develop the trainees further over the next 12 months to ensure that they become self sufficient and sustainable,” says MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Ghishma Barry.
The identified areas include, Sterkspruit (Bensenville College of Education), Middledrift, Straundale in Port Elizabeth, Matatiele, Mount Ayliff, Mount Frere, Port St Johns, Lady Frere (Nzimankulu High School), Molteno (Joe Slovo High School), Ngcobo Municipality, Mt Fletcher, Maclear, Stutterheim, Dutywa, Joubertina, Somerset East, Viedgesville in Mthatha and Qumbu Technical High School.
Media contact:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Cell: 082 44 22 388
Issued by: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
19 March 2010
