Issued by: Ncedo Kumbaca - Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
As part of her 2
009 October Transport Month Campaign, Eastern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Honourable Ghishma Barry, launched last week the learner driver education and Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) community-based transportation projects at Cala Stadium.
The learner driver education project is a skills development and education initiative targeting Grade 11 to 12 learners from disadvantaged communities in order to facilitate their entry to the job market.
Statistics show that 80 percent of road accidents are caused by lack of road safety knowledge, lack of driving skills, negative attitude and reckless behaviour. And 45 percent of these accidents involve people between the ages of 16 and 25 years.
Through this project, learners learn the rules of the road based on K53 system of vehicles control.
A total of 337 learners from 33 schools are benefiting and is now waiting to start their drivers’ licence testing process. Tomorrow, MEC Barry will hand over 21 learners licences to learners who completed the first phase of the project.
The programme will be preceded by the opening of the Tyelibhokhwe Access Road, which was built through the EPWP methods and created a number of jobs for local poor households.