The Acting CEO of Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), Mr Collins Letsoalo, announced and handed over the command to the new Chief of the National Traffic Police, Mr David Sony Tembe, who assumed his duties officially on 1 July 2011, in a media briefing held today at RTMC Head Office.
Mr Tembe’s career has been in the Public Safety environment that includes but not limited to, traffic and Metropolitan Policing as well as Emergency Management Services. He has both technical and strategic experience and he was also part of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) Management Team with a complement of over 3600 members. During his tenure at the JMPD he was head of operations; responsible or amongst others; the provision of professional Road Traffic Policing, By-Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention.
This newly appointed Chief is also a Graduate of the FBI 63rd Session of Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar; Quantico Virginia; USA. He was awarded with a Service Excellence Award for working towards effective and sustainable Road Traffic Law Enforcement Strategies; The most innovative idea (with the establishment of Operation Nomakanjani); Top Cop Award by the Crime-line Initiative for his contribution in fighting crime within the City of Johannesburg; A Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of outstanding service and support to the Crime Line Initiative.
He was a member of the Provincial Crime Combating Forum, Chaired by the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police; the Provincial Community Policing Forum and the Provincial Joint Operational Committee.
The following are his achievements:
- Establishment of Operation Nomakanjani dealing with reckless and negligent driving (over 13 000) arrests and conviction rate of 98%);
- Establishment of Operation Chachamela that deals with loitering with specific attention to the smash and grab incidents in the inner-city;
- Twenty-one per cent reduction on road fatalities in Johannesburg;
- Establishment of Operation Thiba – City-wide incident reduction through Crime Prevention, By-Law Enforcement and Road Traffic Management initiatives; and
- Establishment of the Urban Search and Rescue Team Unit that responded internationally – Algeria, Iran disaster and Mpumalanga with regard to runaway fires.
In this regards he has received the following awards:
- National Minister of Transport Award for Service Excellence (2008);
- Top Cop Award (Crime-line Initiative);
- Merit Award (Crime-line Initiative); and
- Best Paper Award in Law Enforcement (International Traffic Management Conference in Cape Town).
The new Chief will lead efforts in law enforcement initiatives within the country and ensure that as a lead Agency on Road Safety, we achieve as a country, targets of the Millennium Development Goals and Decade of Action within the four pillar strategy of the RTMC which are:
- Safe roads;
- Safer road users;
- Safe cars; and
- Safe speeds
“The National Traffic Police will play a significant function to ensure that RTMC achieves the above and delivers on its mandate which also includes the National Rolling Enforcement Plan (NREP), the soon to be launched Operation Swara Setagwa, with Zero Tolerance on drunken driving and the national roll-out of operation nomakanjani. Days of irresponsible driving are over”, said the Acting CEO of RTMC.
“Let us support Mr. Tembe in the execution of his duties and be the change we want to see on our roads. Road Safety is everyone’s responsibility, what Mr. Tembe will be doing can only be part of what all of us should be championing – Safe Roads in South Africa”.
Enquiries:
Zodwa Mtsweni
Cell: 079 511 9734
