Rea Vaya took a group of schoolgirls on a bus ride around Johannesburg as part of the annual Take a Girl Child to Work Day.

A QUICK dash around Joburg, from Braamfontein to Nasrec and back, in the comfortable capsule of a Rea Vaya bus is how 102 schoolgirls rounded off Take a Girl Child to Work Day.

The girls, in grades 10, 11 and 12 at several Joburg high schools, spent the day on 19 August exploring career options in local government. They toured a number of City departments, under the wing of the Office of the Speaker, before hopping on the Rea Vaya bus for a bit of sightseeing.

A first for Roxanne Behrends and Faeeza Mahmoud

It was the third time the Office of the Speaker took part in the annual initiative. Cell C introduced Take a Girl Child to Work Day in 2003 to inspire and motivate South African girls to strive for excellence in academics and careers.

For many of them, it was their first trip on a Rea Vaya bus. One of them, Marcia Ndlovu, from Sir John Adamson High School in Joburg's south, said: "I have never been on Rea Vaya before because my parents drive me around and there is no Rea Vaya route in the southern suburbs of the City."

And she was impressed with the experience: "The ride was lovely and fast because the bus only stops at designated stations."

Her schoolmate, Faeeza Mahmoud, added: "This is also my first time on Rea Vaya. My mom usually drives me around so I never use public transport, but Rea Vaya is a good alternative to taxis."

It was also a first for Roxanne Behrends from Eldorado Park. "This is my first time on Rea Vaya as I'm hardly in the inner city. I would definitely use it if it was in the vicinity I'm in."

The bus left Metro Centre in Braamfontein and travelled through the inner city to FNB Stadium, in Nasrec, on the outskirts of Soweto, before doubling back to Braamfontein. The journey took about 40 minutes.

Already an experienced Rea Vaya traveller, Lolanda Magayiyana from Kagiso said: "I use Rea Vaya because it gets you to your destination fast. I use it over weekends when I'm in Soweto and I use it to commute from Thokoza Park to Orlando and Diepkloof."

However, it was not as much fun for Mphenyi Monthata, a border at Rand Girls High School. "My first ride on Rea Vaya wasn't pleasant as I was standing," she said, "but I would definitely use it the next time - except that time I will be sitting."

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