Programme Director Ms Monapule Ntamo
Free State MEC: Police Roads and Transport Mr Thabo Manyoni
Executive Mayor of Mangaung Playfair Morule
Acting Director-General of Transport Mr George Mahlalela
Distinguished guests
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
When the Shova Kalula Bicycle project was introduced in 2001, the Department of Transport made a commitment to address the challenges of scholars who travel long distances to school.
Today's event at this school is indeed a milestone in our endeavour to propel this programme to greater heights as a way of promoting rural transportation especially non-motorised transport in remote rural areas. As we give out 400 bicycles to scholars we are encouraging them to improve in their Maths and Science, so that in future they become engineers working on the same roads they will be cycling to and from school.
The Department of Transport introduced the Shova Kalula Bicycle Partnership as a pilot project with the aim of improving rural accessibility to education resource centres. Shova Kalula, which is loosely translated into "Pedal Easy" from Zulu, is a phased bicycle project that started with second hand bicycles donated from Europe and England. Micro businesses were set up where these bicycles were sold and services to sustain the project.
After a thorough evaluation of the project at the end of phases one, the Department decided to distribute new bicycles only, as spares for some of the second hand bicycles were unobtainable. The project was also re-aligned to involve the Department of Education, provinces and municipalities.
During phases one, two and three, the department transferred funds directly to the provinces to implement the project. Seeing that many provinces were lacking the capacity to manage the project, the Department took a decision to procure services centrally. Up to the end of phase three a total of 33 000 bicycles were distributed and 22 micro businesses were established in seven provinces. Since July 2008 the department supplied a further 26 000 bicycles to provinces and municipalities, who will distribute the bicycles to schools.
It is very important that our scholars do not use a lot of energy when travelling to schools so that they are strong enough to concentrate on their school work. The primary focus is currently on supplying bicycles to learners from mainly rural areas who meet a series of set qualification criteria regarding the distance they walk to school, the non-availability of scholar transport and the income of the family. The continuation of the Shova Kalula project in the 2009/10 financial year is aimed at distributing 15 000 bicycles.
The Department of Transport (DoT) is tasked with the responsibility of promoting and implementing the Shova Kalula National Bicycle Partnership project with the aim of addressing transport challenges in underserved communities. The project shall facilitate accessibility and mobility to socio-economic opportunities.
Cycling is a low cost mode of transport that can provide mobility solution, which could serve as a catalyst to socio-economic transformation. A thorough accessibility research, piloting and testing of this project was done in the past four years. An evaluation report has confirmed the demand responsive nature of this project, which has necessitated the need for a long –term sustainable sets of interventions.
Structural and topographical challenges have been addressed and appropriate specifications, which are conducive to the difficult terrains of the deep rural areas, have been finalised and approved by the department. Amongst others a detailed management and distribution mechanisms have been outlined to meet the desired outputs.
In rolling out this plan, the Department is mindful of the fact that, for this project to be more effective, it requires the collaboration and cooperation of all the role-players and stakeholders. I want to urge the scholars to use these bicycles not as a tool for luxury but to further their advancement in making sure that the broader part of enriching their education for increased social and economic development of the country is met.
I thank you!
Issued by: Department of Transport
2 October 2009
Source: Department of Transport (http://www.transport.gov.za)
