Phoenix Secondary School learners get a taste of motorsport
17 November 2022
An investment of 45 minutes to introduce 20 Grade 9 learners at Phoenix Secondary School in Manenberg to motorsport has the potential for endless positive results in the future.
So said Principal Shameeg Frederick after Drift Dynamics Experience (DDX) and ETCS and Lea Cranes visited the school on 2 November 2022 to give learners an opportunity to get a closer look at a drift car and talk to them about various career opportunities in motorsport.
“These guys really motivated and inspired the learners who listened attentively when Anwar Daniels, a motor mechanic, recounted his life journey. We want to introduce an alternative to gangsterism, and motorsport can be an exciting possibility, Fredericks added.
Daniels and radio DJ and avid spinner, Deon Daniels, better known as Ready D, have always been invested in giving back to Cape Flats communities and those similarly disadvantaged.
They contacted the school under the umbrella of Safer Roads 4 All (SR4A) to arrange a talk with learners. ETCS and Lea Cranes made their vehicles available and Century Karting provided incentives for learners.
“The driving force behind the programme is simply to deliver a message to the youth that we are more than our circumstances. I spoke to them about the opportunities Ready D and I had, and this without being given a silver spoon. Choosing to work hard and doing the right thing can open doors. We spoke about the different career fields there are within motorsport and how your subject choices play a role as well.
“Our youth is the next generation. There is a need to help prepare them for the future and in taking positive steps to making their dreams become a reality.”
Daniels said they were hoping to engage with more schools and organisations in an attempt to grow the programme for the betterment of young people.
