On Friday, February 16, 2024, Mr. Lisa Mangcu, the Deputy Minister of Transport, started an initiative to increase access to scholar transport for underprivileged students by distributing 200 bicycles to students in the Cape Winelands District Municipality in the Western Cape.
The Shova Kalula Bicycle Programme, supported by the National Department of Transport, equip school pupils who walk a distance of 3-5 kilometres to and from school with mobility. By providing bicycles to residents in low-income areas, the program helps individuals access education. It also offers road safety training and maintenance assistance to ensure safe and effective bicycle use.
According to the Deputy Minister’s keynote address, there are 119 253 bicycles that were distributed to learners as part of the national learner transport policy from the launch of the Shovakalula programme in 2001 to date.
Recently, nine schools in the Cape Winelands District Municipality, including the Langerberg Secondary School in Robertson, received benefits from this program, which was overseen by the Deputy Minister.