While the nation celebrates Women’s Month, the Eastern Cape Department of Transport bursary scheme produced its first female pilot Oyama Matomela, who qualified as a commercial pilot with an instrument rating.
This comes after the 19 year old girl completed her studies and obtained her pilots license with the internationally acclaimed 43 Air school in Port Alfred.
“We salute this young woman, who worked very hard in a male dominated environment and made full use of the opportunity she was offered by the department through our bursary scheme,” says MEC Marawu.
Matomela, who hails from Port Elizabeth, began her studies at 43 Air school in January last year and is fortunate enough that her qualification comes with an immediate job offer from the South African Police (SAPS) Air Wing.
“This is an opportunity she managed to get through her own hard work, but were it not for the bursary and the opportunity offered by the department, she would not have acquired her pilot licence,” the department of transport said in a statement.
Matomela is the fourth student and the first female to be awarded a pilot bursary by the department.
“We as the department are so proud of her and we truly believe that her achievement could serve as an inspiration to other young girls in the province,” added Marawu.
“When I was little I used to go with my auntie to watch planes landing and taking off at Port Elizabeth Airport. That dream grew with me to the stage where I decided to do some research on planes,” Matomela told The New Age. Now that she has her wings, she says she is ready to take on the industry. “I am certain I will make it. I am so passionate about this industry.”
