Scholar transporters celebrate Transport Month by raising awareness
According to Bheki Ziqubu of SLTA, although they meet different challenges as scholar transporters, every year they celebrate Transport Month.
October is marked as Transport Month and to end off this year’s Transport Month Siyazifukula Learner Transport Association (SLTA) held an awareness event at Sunshine Plaza on Thursday, October 27.
The month is used by government to advance, among other things, the country’s road safety initiatives and to create awareness about the important role of safe, affordable and reliable transport systems for everyone.
SLTA invited the Greater Johannesburg Learner Transport Organisation, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS), City of Johannesburg Department of Transport and other stakeholders to celebrate Transport Month.
National Transport Month was launched by the Government in October 2005 to increase awareness among road users.
According to Bheki Ziqubu of SLTA, although they meet different challenges as scholar transporters, every year they celebrate Transport Month.
“The Associations are working tirelessly to ensure that scholar transporters belong to associations. This is where they can excess information easy about government things, this campaign is helping us as SLTA to comply with the requirements for scholar transport services,” said Ziqubu.
SLTA together with other associations in Region C are under Greater Johannesburg Learner Transport Organisation.
After the display of safety equipment, attendees were reminded about the importance of having the knowledge of first aid when working with children.
Lerato Mabaso from the City of Johannesburg Department of Transport used the opportunity to raise awareness on the important role of transport and to encourage participation from civil society and business.
Officer Thato Phiri from JMPD encouraged the initiative as it teaches everyone about the importance of road signs and teaching public transportation operators about the importance of adhering to municipal bylaws and road safety.
Awareness on water safety was raised by Pearl Mokoena from City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) since it is close to school holidays.
Lastly before everybody made their way to the food and refreshments, a teacher from one of the primary schools in Florida talked about the challenges that learners face at school, in their families and in society.
