A first for Traffic Department

He might just be the coolest cop in town.

With his collection of sunglasses, watches and perfumes, Papi Motaung believes everyone deserves only the best, including the best safety, law and order.

“I always wanted to be a police officer. Ever since I was little I wanted to keep the peace,” Papi said.

Papi is Mogale City Traffic Department’s first-ever spokesperson. But first and foremost he is traffic officer and has been for 13 years. Even though he never became a police officer, he would not want to do anything else.

Even in his private capacity the new spokesperson acts as a law enforcer.

The sections have more than doubled over the years and now the department ensures that fines are paid and issued, municipal by-laws are adhered to, there are means of public transport, speed is regulated, children are educated on traffic laws, community groups are escorted, traffic flows when a traffic light is out of order and riots are controlled.

Papi added that cyclists are especially thankful for the Traffic Department’s services. It can be rather risky cycling between traffic during cycling races.

“Many cyclists have come up to me and thanked me for the protection,” he said.

The Traffic Department decided to appoint a spokesperson to “improve crime-prevention strategies by educating the community about their safety,” and to have better communication between the department and the public.

For Papi, being a traffic officer is a proud duty that he honours. He believes that if children were to strive to become law-enforcers, the “country could only benefit”.

But remember, if you do want to ensure the safety of the public one day, Papi said it is a very disciplined profession in which you always strive to work towards the improvement of your community and country “and you never tolerate lawlessness”.

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