Members of the North West provincial professional driving team that qualified for the national Driver of the Year competition to be held as from next week Monday will be sharpening their driving skills at the Rustenburg Traffic Centre on Saturday before their departure for Limpopo.
The twelve member team composed of 10 men and two women drivers was selected during the Provincial Driver Skills Enhancement programme competition held last month in Mafikeng.
The stiff competition which attracted participants from the private and public sector was dominated by professional heavy duty and commercial drivers from Bojanala Platinum and Ngaka Modiri Molema districts with each being represented by four drivers on the provincial team. Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts also have two members each on the team.
The team is expected to bring national honours back to the province as it includes drivers some with national and international competition experience. Strong contenders in the female bus category include 43 years old Getrude Maluka who is employed by Impala mine.
Maluka represented the province at the national competition in 2005 and at international level in Luxemburg (Germany) in 2006.
In conveying his well wishes to the team, North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa said that among the benefits that the individual drivers have derived from participating in the programme, is recognition as provincial road safety ambassadors, enhanced professional driving image and improved standards and knowledge of driving.
Though professional drivers were encouraged by the sponsorship that the Department of Public Safety received from Man Truck and Bus, Volvo, Atamelang Bus Transport, Mafikeng Auto, Magalies Water, Luca Del Gatto and South African Police Service (SAPS) Jazz Band during the provincial competition, they were motivated in no small measure by that of fifty one years old Lesley Maaroganye.
The former truck driver, driver competition winner and successful Klerksdorp businessman, who is now a shareholder of Mzanzi Africa Logistics provided two articulated trucks during the provincial competition.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 9123
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Public Safety, North West Provincial Government
13 October 2009
