Memorial service for fitness test victims
2013-01-07 22:29
Johannesburg - A memorial service will be held for the seven people who died during a KwaZulu-Natal traffic department recruitment fitness test.
The service would take place at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 10:00 on Wednesday, Transport MEC Willies Mchunu said in a statement.
The seven died during a 4km run, which was part of a fitness test held at the Harry Gwala stadium, Pietermaritzburg, in December.
One of the seven allegedly committed suicide. They had responded to a Road Traffic Inspectorate recruitment drive.
All tests for RTI jobs had been suspended pending an investigation by the MEC's office.
More than 34 000 people had qualified to apply for the 90 advertised trainee posts.
A total of 15 600 applicants attended the fitness test on Thursday, 27 December, and a similar number on the Friday.
An unknown number of them collapsed due to the heat. Many were taken to hospital.
Mchunu said he was reviewing the recruitment process and changes would be made.
A new plan had been presented to him, which would see candidates being split up into smaller groups and asked to present themselves at a testing station near where they lived.
"This will reduce waiting hours and will ensure efficiency in the recruitment system," the MEC's office said in a statement.
- SAPA
