Learners from recently combined secondary school, Machakela and Mamodibo in Mogogelo village in the Moretele Local Municipality have benefited from the Thuntsha Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery Programme-Reloaded.
This came, after MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management Wessels Morweng handed over 50 shova kalula bicycles to those pupils who walk a distance of between 3 to 5 kilometers to school.
The learners also received road safety kits that includes safety helmets and reflector vests.
“Safety of the learners on the road is important, hence the department provides motorised scholar transport for learners who walk more than 5 km and bicycles for those who walk between 35 kilometres,” says Head of Department Dr Hans Kekana introducing MEC to the learners.
Handing over the bicycles to the learners, MEC Morweng appealed to the learners not to give or allow their parents and uncles to use the bicycles for their personal use.
“These bicycles they still remain property of government, therefore should I see any parent using it, I’m going to take it back and arrest.”
We are a caring government that believes in people’s development and education. Therefore, we hand these bicycles to you learners so that you can have an easy access to education, shorten your traveling time to school and arrive while still fresh.
The other important aspect of these bicycles is for your health and fitness, hence they are called shova kalula, so look after them and they will take care of you,” said Morweng.
On behalf of learners, Rehlamfu Tshepang thanked the Department for the gesture and committed to improve their results.
The National Department of Transport initiated Shova Kalula project in 2001. The aim of the project is to provide low cost mobility solutions to the learners in order to enable them to access educational facilities mostly in remote locations.
Beneficiaries of shova kalula programme should travel a distance of not more than 5 kilometres by foot.
MEC Morweng further conducted an oversight visit to the Makapanstad and Moeka Vuma Police Stations accompanied by the Head of Department Dr Hans Kekana, Chief Director for Civilian Secretariat for Police Ms Mpho Maleme and the Chief Director for District Development Model (DDM), and Motor Fleet Mr Mike Keetile.
The visit was to monitor the South African Police Service on the Batho Pele Principles services to the community and assess their resource needs and challenges. This is intended to mobilise resources for SAPS in the fight against crime in the Province and strengthen their relations with communities they serve.