Kouga Executive Mayor Booi Koerat (centre), Social Services portfolio councillor Thandeka Maseti (forth right) and Social Services director Japie Jansen (right) joined Kouga Skills Development officials and proud parents in congratulating the 12 young people who completed their training as traffic officers.
REWARDS finally came for 12 unemployed Kouga youths when they successfully completed their training as traffic officers.
The officers graduated after a year’s training at the Nelson Mandela Bay Traffic, facilitated by Kouga Municipality.
The municipality introduced the learnership programme as part of its 2010/2011 Workplace Skills Plan. The first initiative of its kind by a municipality, the programme forms part of the municipality’s interventionist role in curbing unemployment.
At the ceremony to hand over certificates, Executive Mayor Booi Koerat said the municipality was very proud of the graduates because they had represented Kouga well.
“You have proven to us that we were not wrong to invest our time and energy in you. We believe that you will fly the Kouga banner high wherever your paths as professional officers take you,” he said.
The Mayor compared the graduates to the biblical 12 disciples and urged them to adopt an attitude of servitude rather than that of making a living.
“You must also beware of vultures who will seek to corrupt you as your hard-earned status may be obliterated by another’s mistake,” the Mayor concluded.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates, Cynthia Kemp thanked the municipality for the confidence it had shown in them. She said the graduates were determined made not to let the community of Kouga down.
These 12 youths paid for all the expenses of the training while the municipality facilitated their enrolment in the college and gave the youngsters on-the-job training.
The municipality will now register the graduates with the Department of Roads and Transport as fully-fledged traffic officers.
The names of the graduates are Cynthia Kemp, Jeremy Prinsloo, Jason Petersen, Sherman Felkers, Sphelo Mangali, Vuyokazi Majola, Siena Hendricks, Jason Nodaka, Solomzi Jacobs, Evette Didloft, Branwyne Bosman and Nombulelo Mange.
