Moyahabo Mabeba

The Limpopo roads and transport department and Umsobonvu youth fund have signed a deal that will benefit 155 young people.

The young people will be given driving lessons at selected driving schools.

The plan was unveiled in Polokwane this week.

According to the agreement the department is responsible for the final testing and Umsobonvu will pay the fees on behalf of the young people to recommended driving schools.

Roads and transport MEC Justice Pitso said that the project would cost R900000.

It will run for six months and is expected to start in January 2009 and end in June 2009.

With the 2010 Fifa World Cup approaching, Limpopo has set a target to recruit 500 traffic officers.

Pitso said: "As well as responding to the issue of youth development, the project is responding to the key objectives of our growth and development strategy of promoting economic growth and job creation.

"Driving schools in our province will also benefit economically.

"We will make sure that they offer a meaningful contribution to the national goal of reducing the escalating number of road accidents," Pitso said.

After receiving their driver's licences, the successful candidates will enrol at the Manenu traffic training college to study for their traffic diplomas.

The provincial Umsobomvu Limpopo programme officer Lutendo Malovhele said: "Our institution's mandate is to empower the youth. We came up with this initiative because most of the youngsters fail to venture into the job market because they can't drive.

"By empowering them with driver training some will be considered in the private and public sector."

The successful youungsters will enter into an agreement with the department, which will look at their deployment in line with the infrastructure development of traffic services.