LERATO LELIA
900 unemployed young people in the Free State will soon get the opportunity to get their driver’s licences for free. The initiative is the result of efforts by provincial government to tackle youth unemployment rates.
Spokesperson for the Free State department of Police, Roads and Transport, Hillary Mophethe said some young people have completed their matric or have degrees but are unemployed. “Some of them are unemployed because they do not have a driver’s licence. So the department is giving them this opportunity,” added Mophethe.
Plans are underway to get the programme launched as soon as possible. “We are busy drafting the advertisement. The exact details of the programme are still being designed. It is the department’s initiative so we will be supporting the participants every step of the way. We will teach them how to drive, we will take them through the course and we will be there when they test,” explained Mophethe.
The Department says the initiative is specifically targeting unemployed youth in all five districts in the province and invites them to apply. There will be a selection process and the potential applicants must be:
– From the Free State.
– Unemployed, having finished matric or a higher qualification.
– Between 18 and 35 years of age.
Mophethe says the department will give each candidate only one chance and will not allow repeated failures. The programme will be completely free and participants will be guided from the learner’s licence phase until they pass and receive their licence.
