MEC Ismail Vadi donates 100 bicycles to Alrapark Secondary School learners

NIGEL – Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Dr Ismail Vadi visited Alrapark Secondary School on January 31, where he donated a total of 100 bicycles to learners through the department’s Shovakalula Bicycle Project.

This national initiative by the Department of Transport seeks to provide ease of mobility to learners who walk over three kilometres between home and school every day. The project’s objective is also to maximise the use of non-motorised transport and to promote better health among the youth.

The ceremony was well attended by parents, educators, heads of department, SGB members from surrounding schools and the acting circuit manager of the Gauteng Department of Education – Mr B Malaza.

Alrapark Secondary School principal Felicia Lottering thanked the MEC for his donation and said she is humbled by the kind gesture. EMPD Road Safety officer Const Masilela then briefed learners on the importance of obtaining a competence certificate through the department’s road safety programme before taking to the streets in their brand new Hawk bicycles.

“Why are we giving you each a bicycle today? Well, there are several reasons why, but the main reasons are firstly to take the burden off young learners who have to walk kilometres to school and back every day. Secondly (as a cyclist myself) I would like to promote cycling in the province and I therefore encourage this group of beneficiaries to form a local cycle club as soon as possible,” Dr Vadi said in his key note address.

The event concluded with an official handover ceremony where the beneficiaries were reminded that their first road safety training will commence on February 6 at the school.

They were also urged to look after their bicycles and to take good care of them, as random inspections by the department will be executed from time to time.

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