Scholar transport driver Jerusha Gopal won a brand new Toyota Quantum through the eThekwini Transport Authority’s (ETA) Safe to School, Safe to Home Scholar Transport Programme, celebrating her exemplary safety record.
Ms Gopal received the vehicle at a ceremony held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on October 30, as part of Transport Month activities.
The initiative, launched by the ETA’s Road Safety Branch, aims to encourage safe transport practices among scholar transport operators. Ms Gopal emerged as the winner from an electronic lucky draw among four finalists who maintained a spotless safety record while transporting learners over the monitored period.
“Winning this Quantum is a dream come true,” Ms Gopal said. “With this vehicle, I can transport more learners safely and comfortably across Durban’s northern areas. Thank you, eThekwini Municipality, for recognising and supporting the scholar transport sector.”
The programme, that initially trained 128 drivers, is a collaboration between eThekwini Municipality, the Global Road Safety Partnership, Toyota South Africa Limited, Netstar, and Afrofleet. Of the original group, 74 drivers completed a five-day road safety workshop, with the remaining drivers disqualified due to non-compliant vehicles.
Deputy chairperson for the Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee, Sifiso Mkhize, explained that the Safe to School, Safe to Home Programme sought to reduce child fatalities and injuries from road crashes and educate drivers on vital regulations under the Children’s Act 38 of 2005.
“Road safety is crucial in protecting our young learners,” Mr Mkhize stated. “By enforcing strict compliance and enhancing driver education, this initiative safeguards the well-being of children on their daily journeys to and from school.”
Suben Moodley, senior vice president for corporate services at Toyota South Africa Motors, commended eThekwini Municipality for pioneering this project. He also highlighted recent findings from the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s report on South Africa’s road safety, noting that 10,180 vehicle accidents were reported in 2023. KwaZulu-Natal alone accounted for 1 985 of these incidents, resulting in 2 229 fatalities.
With a target to lower accidents to 7 000 by 2030, Mr Moodley said that road incidents cost the South African economy approximately R205 billion in 2023 – nearly half the automotive sector’s GDP contribution.
