Stellenbosch Municipality’s department of community development will soon launch a programme that will help young unemployed locals obtain their learner’s and driver’s licenses for free.
This is according to Stuart Grobbelaar, spokesperson for the municipality. The Youth Driver and Learner Programme is set to take place between 7 March and 15 June, Grobbelaar told MatieMedia in written correspondence.
Stellenbosch Municipality recently launched a programme to assist young people with obtaining their learner’s and driver’s licenses. Applicants were required to submit their completed applications for the programme at the community development department, located at 28 Andringa Street. PHOTO: Chelsea Burnell
The programme is aimed at helping participants become more employable through obtaining their licenses, according to an advertisement that was circulated on 18 February. Applications for the Youth Driver and Learner Programme closed on 25 February, according to the application form.
“Having a driver’s license is a prerequisite for many job opportunities,” stated Grobbelaar. “This will give [the youth] an opportunity to compete within the job market.”
According to the municipal advertisement for the programme, applicants have to be between the ages of 18 and 35 and must be unemployed in order to apply for the programme. Youth who previously participated in a similar program, and family members of employees of Stellenbosch municipality are not permitted to apply.
Avuziwe Pokoyi, aged 24, filled out her Youth Driver and Learner Programme application form outside the community development department in Stellenbosch to ensure she was able to hand it in before applications closed on 25 February. PHOTO: Chelsea Burnell
Applicants who are accepted into the programme for learner’s license support will participate in group learner’s license classes before writing their tests, explained Grobbelaar. The 30 young people who are accepted into the programme will have 20 driving lessons per person before having the opportunity to take their driver’s license test.
According to Grobbelaar, application forms for the programme were made available to eligible groups from the following municipal wards: wards 2 to 6, wards 10 to 12 and ward 23.
These wards cover 28 areas in the Stellenbosch region, including Pniel, Idas Valley, Jonkershoek, Kayamandi, Cloetesville, Welgevonden and Jamestown. This is according to Stellenbosch Municipality’s website.
The aim of Stellenbosch Municipality’s Youth Driver and Learner Programme is to enable the unemployed youth of Stellenbosch to become more employable by obtaining their licenses. PHOTO: Chelsea Burnell
Siphumle Magongoma, aged 28, and Avuziwe Pokoyi, aged 24, both applied for the Youth Driver and Learner Programme.
Magongoma said that by doing the programme she will be able to obtain a license, and that this would “maybe also help [her] to get a car sometime”.
Aside from obtaining a license, the programme could be advantageous in more than one regard for the participants. Melissa Nosiphiwo, a youth who expressed her interest in the programme, said through written correspondence with MatieMedia that she thinks that the program will “keep the unemployed youth busy and away from harm and trouble.”