Programme director, Mr M Snow
Head of Department of Community Safety, Dr Gilbert Lawrence
Head of Gene Louw College, Mr Willie Van der Merwe
Chief Director, Simion George
Head Traffic Officer Training, Mr F Watkins
Senior traffic staff
Gene Louw Traffic College staff
Recipients of diplomas
Guests
Thank you for the invitation to speak at the diploma ceremony of 98 new graduated traffic officers today. I wearing a uniform today am just ceremonial of nature and not operational as an indication that I am part of the family.
This programme, programme four, fulfils a crucial function in rendering professional traffic services on our roads and securing the safety of thousands of road users throughout the year. On 10 December 2009 I, together with senior staff, officially launched the Blue Eagles squad that will enforce the traffic laws on the national roads of the Western Cape in their high powered vehicles.
This effort will bolster our effort in keeping our roads safer, but equally create greater confidence in all road users for safer roads. This event was a proud moment for both me as well as the ten traffic officers who have completed the tough advanced driving course. Today, 66 and 32 female officers graduate after successfully completing the national exams under the auspices of the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC).
I can add with pride (once again!) that three of the 98 new officers will also receive a cum laude acknowledgement. These students represent 21 different local authorities as well as the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provincial administrations. These students were measured against the curriculum as set out by the RTMC as well as a practical phase where they developed their applied competence.
The practical phase was conducted with the help of the city of Cape Town as well as the provincial Law Enforcement component. Learners were exposed to day to day traffic operations as part of the preparation to embark on the “real world”.
These new officers will now embark on a 12 month probation period in which they will be evaluated to determine their applied competence through the Field Training Officer (FTO) programme conducted by the Quality Management component.
Lastly, an additional eight personnel members within the Traffic Safety Promotion chief directorate, of which one director, three deputy directors as well as the head of training of the city of Cape Town also qualified as traffic officers after completing the same summative examination under the auspices of the RTMC.
I will say it with pride (yes, again!), four of these eight members have also qualified with cum laude. I want to thank the head and staff of the college for the sterling work delivered at this institution. You are definitely not churning out traffic officers like a factory, but rather equipping them with knowledge and the relevant skills to be successful in their careers as traffic officers.
Ladies and gentlemen, traffic officers are the key role players in securing safer roads on our national roads and they are figuratively speaking the fingers of the hand that have to provide professional traffic services. For these 98 students the “real school” starts out there on the road when confronted by “real” situations on our roads.
It is on the roads that they will be transformed into leaders, if they manage to work hard and lift the bar with regards to the existing working standards. This is life’s school, where the tests and exams will not written on pieces of paper, but will be executed in the chambers of their heart and the chapters of their reasoning powers and good judgment.
This all will determine how successful they will be in their job and ultimately in their career. Though they may at times feel unequipped for their job, it is by the day to day execution of the job of a traffic officer that they will eventually be equipped. It was the famous writer, Frank Lloyd Wright that said the following wise words about success: “I know the price of success; dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen”.
Ladies and gentlemen, it takes a special breed of traffic officer to be successful in his work, as traffic law enforcement asks for many sacrifices, hard work and total dedication. Traffic officers are occasionally tested by many cunning drivers who are apprehended for flouting the law. The integrity of officers as enforcers of the traffic laws will sometimes be both under subtle and severe temptation. I am confident that both good judgment as well as a professional service will be rendered at all times!
Ladies and gentlemen, life for traffic officers on the long stretches of road can at times be lonely, but it can at most times be very eventful. At the end of the day, their main customers, the road user, should have the assurance that law enforcement are at vigil and active to keep the roads of the Western Cape safe 24/7. Thus, there is a price for officers to be paid, but the ultimate prize, is a safe road for all road users in the Western Cape.
If officers are willing to take on the many challenges of paying the price and securing the prize, the positive spin offs will ultimately include an experienced and a well rounded traffic officer. My wish for you is to really work the roads, but to simultaneously embark on the roads of life itself and to grow in confidence and integrity. Good luck!
Announcement on remuneration of traffic officers
Ladies and gentlemen, the salaries of provincial traffic officers are the least to say disgusting in comparison with that of metro officers and other civil servants. I am busy lobbying other MEC’s to assist in addressing this issue. It is with great pleasure that I am announcing the following with regards to the posts of provincial inspectors from level five to six and chief provincial inspectors (centre managers) from level nine to 10:
- Provincial inspectors on salary level four and five will upgrade to level six after 12 months of performing basic inspection or law enforcement service satisfactory. Employees on level six (provincial inspector), level seven (senior provincial inspector) and level eight (principle provincial inspector) will remain on these levels and are not affected by these upgrades as these posts remain on the same levels as currently in existence. Personnel implication, 355 PI posts will be upgraded from levels four or five basic salary notch to level six.
- Chief provincial inspectors (previously centre managers) will upgrade from level nine to 10. (A three year degree has now been set as a minimum requirement to be appointed, however the current incumbents are not required to have the minimum educational requirements as they are upgraded in terms of the job. Personnel implication: 12 chief provincial inspector posts will be upgraded from the basic notch of level nine to 10.
The above will come into effect on the condition of the qualifying criteria from 1 January 2010.
Ladies and gentlemen, our traffic and police officers have taken minimum leave for the period of December and January. Road safety of citizens and holiday makers during the festive season is of priority to service delivery. The safety of the people, especially our children remains paramount to our calling of service. The festive seasons is unfortunately a period when many children are neglected by parents as well as their caregivers leaving the general safety of this vulnerable group at great risk.
Additional to this, the abuse of women mainly by their spouses is equally of extreme concern. These situations will not be tolerated by law enforcement and transgressors in this regard will be criminally charged and they will have to answer to the courts of law. I appeal to the public to be the eyes and the ears of the police and to report any suspicious behaviour of persons to the police and their local community policing forum immediately.
With regards to safer roads I want to appeal to all road users to stringently adhere to the rules of the road over the Festive Season. I urge them to display both patience and friendliness and to make a sound start to your road journey by also keeping safe following distances in the event of safer reaction time should a traffic crisis occur. Drivers should apply their full attention to their driving schedules, ensuring that their vehicles are roadworthy, that they have the necessary vehicle documentation and that they keep the safety of their fellow road users in mind at all times.
I would like to warn any person who intends to risk the lives of others on our roads that our officers will show no mercy and they will enjoy the Christmas in jail. Road blocks and vehicle check points will be the order of the day to ensure engagement with drivers. We are busy moving away from issuing speed fines through the post. Drivers will be fined on the spot. I have been informed that a specialised course in speed and impoundment training have been completed that will equip our officers to deal effectively with this intervention.
I plead to all road users, drivers, passengers as well as pedestrians, to think, act and be safe. I wish all road users to enjoy and have fun but safe road trips through out our beautiful province. Let us all work together in keeping our communities and our roads safer and getting all road users safely home.
I thank you.
