KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Mr. Willies Mchunu, has congratulated three winners from KwaZulu Natal who will represent South Africa at the International Driver of the Year Competition to be held in Poland.
 
Grant Fryer, Thandemile Shabane, Moonsamy Pather, will be jetting off to Poland later this year in August to represent South Africa after they demonstrated outstanding performance at the national competition.
 
This competition is held annually and forms a critical part of the Department of Transport’s initiatives aimed at raising the driving skills and awareness about road safety especially focusing on heavy vehicles including buses and trucks.
 
This competition is in four stages namely the regional, the provincial, national and international.  Fryer won the Rigid Category, while Shabane led in the Women Bus Driver Category and Pather topped all in the Articulated Category.
 
“This is one of the many programmes that the Government offers to Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) drivers to give them an opportunity to sharpen and enhance their driving skills.  This competition breaks down all the aspects of an effective HMV driver as it tests the drivers how they should manoeuvre, negotiate and effectively execute in troublesome terrains as they do their normal driving duties.  I encourage more drivers to enter this competition and urge the owners to allow their drivers to participate as this is not only beneficial to the driver but also to their businesses. I hope this will go a long way in reducing levels of accidents and fatalities on our roads.  These winners are our great ambassadors for road safety,” said Mchunu.