Transport Month kicks off
By Tabisa Mntengwana
03 October 2008
BICYCLES were handed out to 50 learners from Hebron Public School in the Ncerha Villages as part of the launch of Transport Month.
Transport Month is an annual national initiative by the Department of Roads and Transport aimed at encouraging motorists to use public transport. It is supported by local and provincial governments.
“Bicycles are a great tool for all rural children who travel long distances to school,” said ward councillor Lydia Tokwe, at the handover on Thursday, 2 October. “Having these bicycles will also reduce late coming and learners bunking school.”
The MEC for roads and transport, Gloria Barry, added: “The project is set to assist learners who travel long distances and I will be grateful if teachers also consider girl learners when distributing the bicycles.”
The department’s Shova Kalula Bicycle Project has 500 bicycles that will be distributed throughout the Amathole district. “Another batch of 1 900 bicycles is expected by November this year,” said Barry.
In each village, there would be containers fully equipped with spares and equipment that would serve as maintenance shops. “We are [busy] identifying managers to run the shops.”
Also celebrated on the day was the official opening of the R72 road linking East London and Port Elizabeth; more than 100 men and women from the Ncerha Villages were employed on the road’s refurbishment.
“The construction has benefited more than 60 households in these villages and is set to continue to help the unemployed in this ward,” said Tokwe.
The department’s focus for the construction is to demonstrate South Africa’s readiness for the 2010 World Cup. “This road will link tourists and soccer lovers to Eastern Cape’s host city, Port Elizabeth [and other cities and areas in the province],” said Barry.
A vital arterial road that supported both the East London and Coega industrial development zones, and tourism, the R27 had the potential to make a significant contribution to the growth of the province. “This project is one of the main strategic priorities in our infrastructure investment strategy, which seeks to make our coastal route available as a natural resource.”
More attention would also be paid by the provincial department to other roads in Buffalo City, including the Ncanarha interchange on the N2, the Nahoon interchange in East London, and the East London Airport to Lilyvale road.
“The latter project is already on its first phase and many locals are benefiting through employment opportunities that have been created thus far,” said Barry.
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