The new CCF driving licence project will make a marked contribution to job creation by facilitating ownership and skills transfer to historically disadvantaged communities.

This is the view of Prodiba's chairman, Shabir Shaik, who is also the executive chairman of Nkobi Holdings, the black empowerment group representing KobiTech which holds 33,3% of Prodiba.

"In terms of an agreement reached by the shareholders of Prodiba, which also include Face Technologies (33,3%) and Thomson-CSF (33,3%), it is envisaged that the entire manufacturing process will be managed by KobiTech a true reflection of foreign technology infusion, skills transfer and meaningful empowerment," said Shaik.

Shaik stressed that KobiTech's involvement has seen the benefits of the infusion of "high technology" from overseas being transferred to South Africa's historically disadvantaged.

KobiTech's role at Prodiba, besides a managerial one [the management of bank accounts], includes the provision of all manpower, both skilled and semi-skilled, in the production of the new driving licences.

A total of 65 new jobs have been created. According to Danie Bisschoff, Prodiba's managing director, 90% of the jobs created are being drawn from previously disadvantaged groups.

Through on-the-job training, other forms of skills transfer and the invaluable experience gained working in such a high technology environment, these employees will be empowered to play a constructive role in the South African economy for years to come, said Bisschoff.

One of Prodiba's main strategic aims, said Shaik, is to expand its market into the South African Development Community countries, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana and Zambia.

[Pressing a few buttons while one PDI processes a queue of a few thousand people at one every ten minutes or so - if this is high technology, then my bum's a brinjal.

This is a licence to print profit - big, no risk profit.]

With acknowledgement to the Cape Argus.