Pretoria – The City of Ekurhuleni is on a drive to equip high school learners from across the region with driver’s licenses while they are still in school.

Beneficiaries of the programme will receive free driver’s licenses which will be valid for two years.

Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe said the aim of the project was to instill a culture of adhering to the rules of the road in young people’s minds as well as to do away with the irregularities of acquiring driver’s licences.

Gadebe said Grade 11 and 12 learners from 141 of the 161 high schools in Ekurhuleni are participating in the programme.

With the Department of Education being the financial muscle for the project, Driver’s Licence Testing Centres (DLTC) will offer professional services such as the applications for learner’s licences, issuing of learner’s licences including learner’s licence classes for the scholars.

The Grade E Satellite Driver’s Licence Testing Centres (DLTC), currently located in Tsakane and Thokoza, are also involved in the project.

The satellite centres also offer services such as the renewal of motor vehicle licenses, application for the renewal of driver’s licences and the renewal of public driving permits to the community at large at normal municipal licensing tariffs.

The centres’ operating hours are from 8am to 3pm during weekdays, and they also operate on Saturdays from 8am until 12pm so as to accommodate scholars.

The centres are closed on the last Saturday of every month.

Schools that are interested in enlisting in the programme may contact Ronald Fillies on 011 999 0227 or Ronald.Fillies@ekurhuleni.gov.za for more information. – SAnews.gov.za