Thirty-one new graduates of Gene Louw Traffic College are looking forward to starting work at various provincial traffic centres and in municipalities on 1 August 2018. Now that they have successfully completed the 12-month Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC): Road Traffic Law Enforcement, they are qualified traffic officers who can act in that capacity to make our roads safer.
“Since 2014, the Gene Louw Traffic College has trained 144 traffic officers, adding to the complement of men and women in blue, tasked with saving lives on a daily basis. This is a fantastic achievement”, said Donald Grant, Minister for Transport and Public Works. “The Western Cape Government prides itself on being the leading province in so far as developing best practices, including in the field of traffic law enforcement and traffic officer training. We will continue to employ bold and innovative approaches towards continually improving the services that we render to the people of the Western Cape”, he added.
Twenty-seven of the graduates will join Western Cape Provincial Traffic Services, one will work for Breede Valley Municipality, and three for George Municipality.
Over the last year, course participants received training accredited by the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) and Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC). The course consists of 31 unit standards covering subjects on the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA), the Criminal Procedure Act, and guidelines for road traffic law enforcement.
Participants also successfully completed firearm competency training, first aid training, and training in basic firefighting. Those from Provincial Traffic Services received additional driver training, including articulated motor vehicle and motorcycle training. All the trainees were deployed at various traffic centres and gained practical experience of traffic law enforcement during the Easter and December holiday periods.
The top achievers were Traffic Officer LP Wanza (Best Practical and Physical Training Achiever which includes physical training and the self-defence unit standard evaluations); Traffic Officer FA Williams who scooped three awards (Top Achiever in Musketry, NRTA 93 of 1996 Unit Standard, and Transportation Unit Standards); and Traffic Officer C Beukes who scooped two awards, including overall top achiever with 90,55% (Legal Unit Standards Top Achiever and FETC: Road Traffic Law Enforcement Top Academic Achiever).
“Unfortunately, two learners had to be expelled due to poor academic performance. This is because only those learners who show absolute commitment and dedication will qualify to become traffic officers”, said Kenny Africa, Chief Director: Traffic Management. A great level of power has been bestowed upon these graduates, he said, and this comes with great responsibility. He reiterated the Western Cape Government’s commitment to making the province’s roads safer.
The Department of Transport and Public Works is confident that these newly qualified traffic officers will make the roads safer for all of us through diligent traffic law enforcement in the Western Cape.