Driving simulators worth R8-million stand idle in Dutywa after a driving course for students and locals came to a screeching halt.
The Coega Development Corporation launched the project in partnership with the King Hintsa TVET College and Mbhashe municipality in 2014 to help locals and students pass their driving tests.
The project proved successful and in the first year, 532 residents and 188 students successfully obtained drivers’ licences.
College campus manager Zandisile Ntshwanti said problems started late in 2014, when facilitator Mthunzi Mxokozeli allegedly failed to pitch up for the training sessions.
Project funder Coega said they were aware the machines had been locked away for months, but committed yesterday to ensuring the programme was up and running by June 6.
The Saturday Dispatch visited the college this week and found the machinery gathering dust.
Some had been used as filing cabinets.
Mbhashe municipality, King Hintsa TVET college and Coega have different reasons why the project crashed.
The municipality maintains the sole reason the project failed was because Mxokozeli decided to enrol himself in the college.
Mxokozeli who was paid a monthly stipend of R2000, said he was informally told by one of the municipal officials that the projected had been terminated.
“The project ended in 2014 and I registered in 2015 at the college.”
Coega marketing communications head Ayanda Vilakazi said: “The driver training team is confident the programme should be up and running by the June 6.”
However the Dutywa campus manager said he was not aware of when it would restart.
Ntshwanti said Mbhashe and Coega had not indicated to the campus any intentions to revive the programme.
“I personally have not received any communication that speaks of the restart of the programme on any date,” he said. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
R8m teaching aids unused
The Coega Development Corporation launched the project in partnership with the King Hintsa TVET College and Mbhashe municipality in 2014 to help locals and students pass their driving tests.
The project proved successful and in the first year, 532 residents and 188 students successfully obtained drivers’ licences.
College campus manager Zandisile Ntshwanti said problems started late in 2014, when facilitator Mthunzi Mxokozeli allegedly failed to pitch up for the training sessions.
Project funder Coega said they were aware the machines had been locked away for months, but committed yesterday to ensuring the programme was up and running by June 6.
The Saturday Dispatch visited the college this week and found the machinery gathering dust.
Some had been used as filing cabinets.
Mbhashe municipality, King Hintsa TVET college and Coega have different reasons why the project crashed.
The municipality maintains the sole reason the project failed was because Mxokozeli decided to enrol himself in the college.
Mxokozeli who was paid a monthly stipend of R2000, said he was informally told by one of the municipal officials that the projected had been terminated.
“The project ended in 2014 and I registered in 2015 at the college.”
Coega marketing communications head Ayanda Vilakazi said: “The driver training team is confident the programme should be up and running by the June 6.”
However the Dutywa campus manager said he was not aware of when it would restart.
Ntshwanti said Mbhashe and Coega had not indicated to the campus any intentions to revive the programme.
“I personally have not received any communication that speaks of the restart of the programme on any date,” he said. — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za
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