Zululand youth lead campaign

AN opportunity to hone their latent acting skills and talents has given nine young people, from four remote communities in Northern Zululand, new direction for their lives following training in Road Safety Awareness drama productions.

The two-week training programme, which was facilitated by Inkundla Events and Communications in Durban, forms part of the Zululand Anthracite Colliery’s (ZAC) ongoing community engagement and efforts to improve the lives of people living in its four host communities: Zungu, Matheni, Mlaba and Mandlakazi Traditional Councils.

The ZAC Road Safety campaign comprises road shows, where actors perform in road safety awareness drama productions and industrial theatre pieces for the local people, to raise awareness about road safety.

‘When the awareness campaign first started, professional actors were used. However, after this training programme, these young people will now be used to assist with our ongoing campaigns,’ said Zululand Anthracite Colliery Sustainable Development Manager Zodwa Ntuli.

Unemployed matriculants from the classes of 2012 and 2013, who came from disadvantaged communities, were chosen for the programme. During intensive auditions of up to 40 hopeful youngsters, eight were finally chosen for the programme.

‘Our required number was eight, but there was one young woman who had matriculated a few years previously and was determined to be part of the group. She turned out to be our best candidate and we included her in the programme, bringing the final number to nine trainees,’ said Ntuli.

‘These youngsters have grown in leaps and bounds; they have come out of their shells and are all brimming with confidence,’ said Ntuli.

‘Before training, we didn’t really know about the rules of the road and didn’t think it was that important. Now we see the significance as it saves peoples’ lives. We are looking forward to visiting all the schools in our area to teach the children about road safety,’ said trainee Nkule Mtshali.

This was brought home for the young actors when they witnessed a near-accident on their return home.

‘This man was about to step off the pavement and into the road without checking for oncoming vehicles. Luckily, someone next to him saw cars coming towards them and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him out of harm’s way,’ said Mtshali.