Rural learners who walk long distances to school will soon breathe a sigh of relief as the MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport, Dikeledi Mahlangu donates bicycles to some of the impoverished schools in the province. Schools around the Nkomazi and Dr JS Moroka Local Municipalities have received donations of bicycles as part of the Shova Kalula project.
MEC Mahlangu, who was in the company of local councillors, kicked starts her visit in Nkomazi Local Municipality on Thursday, 9 February 2012 at Boschfontein, Mbambiso Sports Ground. The MEC handover a total of one thousand (1 000) bicycles to sixteen (16) schools around the municipality.
Furthermore, six (6) impoverished families from the municipality each received an animal drawn cart. The burden of having to walk long distances to collect wood and water is already considered to be a thing of the past as the animal drawn carts will lessen their hardships.
On Friday, 10 February 2012, the MEC proceeded with her journey of service delivery to Dr. JS Moroka Local Municipality in Nkangala District where she planted another seed of hope. Thirteen schools received a total of five hundred and forty five (545) bicycles and four (4) animal drawn carts went to the local communities around the Vaal Bank area.
The Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport have succeeded in its quest to improve the lives of poor communities through the Shova Kalula project. To date, the Department has donated a total of six thousand (6 000) bicycles to rural learners in the current financial year. At least forty eight (48) animal drawn carts were dispatched to various communities within the same period.
The Shova Kalula is a nationwide initiative aimed at promoting non-motorised transport by providing bicycles to learners who walk more than a distance of three (3) kilometres to school every day. This assists learners who do not benefit from the scholar transport since it only targets learners who travel a minimum of five (5) kilometres to school.
