By REGINALD KANYANE
30 September 2024- Learners from recently combined secondary school, Machakela and Mamodibo in Mogogelo village, near Moretele have benefited from the Thuntsha Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery Programme-Reloaded. This comes after North West 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 kilometres to school.
Morweng said learners also received road safety kits that include 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.
“We appeal to learners not to give or allow their parents and uncles to use the bicycles for their personal use. These bicycles still remain property of the government, therefore should I see any parent using it, I’m going to take it back and arrest,” he said.
Morweng further said they are a caring government that believes in people’s development and education. He added that, therefore, they hand these bicycles to learners so that they can have easy access to education.
“These bicycles will assist you to 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.
Meanwhile, on behalf of learners, Rehlamfu Tshepang thanked the department for the gesture and committed to improve their results.
“The National Department of Transport initiated the 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,” he said.
The Guardian 