Five School pupils in Mpumalanga have won themselves a life time opportunity of debating at national level. This comes after the learners’ participation in the Provincial Road Safety debate, which was held on 31 August 2013 in Lydenburg.
MEC Vusi Shongwe has congratulated the five secondary school learners who will be representing the province at this year’s National Road Safety School debates that will be held in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape from 25 to 26 September 2013.
Shongwe has also wished the five school pupils the best of luck with the finals. He says young people are the future of the country. He has also noted that their future and that of future generations is in their hands today.
Shongwe says he is impressed with the knowledge that these young leaders have about road safety. He said that this would assist the province in its quest to reduce road accidents.
This project was initiated in 2004 after the road accident statistics showed that at least 40% of fatalities that occurred involved young people aged from 0-25. Road Safety debates are therefore dedicated to young road users who travel the roads as pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, novice drivers and passengers.
Learners from Secondary schools are targeted and they debate on motions such as pedestrian safety, traffic law enforcement, effectiveness of traffic regulations, effectiveness of road safety, AARTO and other road safety related motions. The Mpumalanga province was the first to introduce the debates and it became number one nationally in the year 2007 and 2010.
The five pupils who will compete at the finals are as follows:
- Hazel Nkosi, Maghuba Combines School (Ehlanzeni Region)
- Zanele Ngwenya, Masizakhe Secondary School (Gert Sibande Region)
- Bongiwe Gambu, Khunjuliwe Secondary School (Gert Sibande Region)
- Thabo Malekane, Mashishing High School (Bohlabela Region)
- Felicity Mhlongo, Mgubho Combines School (Ehlanzeni Region)
Enquiries:
Joseph Mabuza
Tel: 013 766 4055
Cell: 082 678 1450
