Gauteng’s youth empowered with free learner licences

The Gauteng government, in partnership with the leading spirits company Diageo South Africa, presents an amazing opportunity for the province’s disadvantaged young people to mark the start of October Transport Month.

This initiative takes a step further in creating a prosperous and safer Gauteng by bridging the unemployment gap and fostering responsible attitudes towards alcohol use.

According to recent statistics from Stats SA, the youth unemployment rate in South Africa remains alarmingly high at 46.5% in the first quarter of the year.

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Additionally, alcohol misuse continues to be a significant contributor to road accidents through drinking and driving/walking.

In response to these pressing challenges, Diageo South Africa has joined forces with the office of the Premier of Gauteng, the Department of Roads and Transport, and the Department of Economic Development to address these issues holistically and bring about positive change.

The theme of the campaign is ‘Wrong Side of the Road’ which aims to assist the youth with administrative fees for securing learners’ licenses.

Participants must be in Gauteng’s TISH (townships, informal settlements, and hostels) and be between the ages of 17 and 34 to be considered.

While the target for the project is to assist 40 000 youth, more than 130 000 responses have been received since the Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced the project in early August of this year.

“The provincial government, in partnership with Diageo South Africa, presents an exciting opportunity for young people. Empowering Gauteng’s youth with free learner’s licenses serves as a dual-purpose endeavour.

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“It is the first phase towards obtaining a driver’s license, which enhances employability.

“Additionally, this initiative actively promotes responsible driving during the learning stage, hopefully improving road safety, particularly against drinking and driving,” said Lesufi.

In partnership with the Gauteng Economic Development Department, 10 000 of the 40 000 learners’ license opportunities will be reserved for motorbike licenses to support Project Last Mile.

The project aims to license, mentor and connect young people to job opportunities.

Those interested will receive training and assistance, including access to motorbikes (options include rent-to-own, rental, or outright purchase) and contracts with industry-leading partners.

“This initiative aligns with our 10-year sustainability action plan, and reflects our commitment to positive change in attitudes towards impaired driving,” said corporate relations director at Diageo South Africa, Sibani Mngadi.

“As a global leading beverage alcohol company, we believe in our duty to collaborate with partners such as the Department of Roads and Transport to create prevention tools that can save lives.”

About Wrong Side of the Road

The recruitment phase has concluded, with an overwhelming response from applicants.

Those who have successfully progressed will receive the next steps of their journey via SMS and WhatsApp, which include watching a video and completing a short quiz related to understanding the effects of alcohol and the shame and stigma associated with drunk driving.

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All steps must be completed to be eligible to receive your free learner’s license booking.

This includes your readiness to take the test and achieving an 80% pass rate using the K53 app.

All entries will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Recognizing that some applicants may face data limitations, the initiative encourages individuals to visit their local libraries, where free Wi-Fi access is available for the application process.

Please note that only those names on the current recruitment list can continue the journey and no further registrations will be accepted.

Eligibility criteria:

• South African citizens

• Gauteng residents in the TISH sector

• Age 17-34

• Prepared for the learners’ test by studying through K53 APP’s learning material.

• Only entries via WhatsApp will be accepted for the next phase

• Applicants must be available to take their learner’s license from October 19 to February 28

• Limited to 40 000 learner licenses

• License types: Code 1, 2, 3

For more information about the campaign, visit our social media pages @DriveDry.