Northern Cape Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison enrols 252 learners in the Province to attain learner's and driver's licences
The Northern Cape Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison has enrolled 252 matriculants from rural schools in the province for the Learner's and Driver's Licences Programme.
The Learner's and Driver's Licences Programme forms part of government’s efforts to improve the lives of our people, provide opportunities where possible and promote Road Safety as per the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety declaration. The programme is also in line with the National Road Safety Strategy to equip learners with driver’s licence before they finish school.
The Department has rolled out the Learner's and Driver's Licences Programme in all five districts of the province in conjunction with Road Traffic Management Corporation. Special focus was given to Grade 12 learners in rural schools, where resources and access to information is limited.
Head of Department, Mr Steven Jonkers, during a briefing with the media revealed that 5 schools in each district were selected on needs basis with 10 learners selected in each school to participate in the progamme that is fully funded by the Department. “This means 50 learners per district were selected with John Taolo Gaetsewe being the exception with 2 additional learners. The programme has also found a balance with gender; ensuring both males and females are given the opportunity,” he said.
Jonkers added that of the 252 learners: 48 learners have successfully completed their learner's licences in Frances Baard, 36 learners in John Taolo Gaetsewe District, 30 in ZF Mgcawu Disctrict, 20 in Pixley Ka Seme District and 8 learners in Namakwa were also successful.
He said, the remaining learners in each district are yet to write their learner’s licences with the bulk of the learners looking to write their learner's licence during the school holidays as the school curriculum and schedules had to be taken into consideration.
“The Learner's and Driver's Licences Programme takes place at schools after school for the convenience of learners. Learners in Frances Baard District have already begun with driving lessons,” said Jonkers.
“Department has also assisted 5 learners to attain their identity documents and 5 other learners to get spectacles as through the process it was discovered they had eye-sight challenges and some were without IDs.”
We have further engaged with the Department of Health in the province to look into the challenge of those learners that might need assistance with eye-sight testing and the Department of Home Affairs has been engaged with assisting learners without IDs.
The programme has not only equipped the learners to be employable as a valid South African driver’s licence may be required when applying for jobs but has also empowered driving schools in the different districts. The programme has further assisted lessen the financial burden of attaining a driver’s license for learners from impoverished backgrounds and make driver’s licence accessible to learners.
18 year old Bonolo Thubela from Dikgatlong High School said she was happy for the opportunity as her parents could not afford to award her the opportunity. “I am happy and thankful to the Department and everyone who made this possible,” she said.
Her peer, 19 year old Johnson Dube from Boretse High School in Frances Baard said, “I’m glad to have my learner’s licence. It means I am one step closer to getting a licence and meet one employment criteria, which is having a driver’s licence.”
Enquiries:
Keitumetse Moticoe
Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison
Cell: 074 251 6567 or 082 064 7003
Official Work Email Address: kmoticoe@ncpg.gov.za
