Minister warns new recruits about corruption

The Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, has warned new traffic officers to resist the temptation of corruption.

“We fully understand that the environment we are sending you into is full of temptations and dangers. There are sharks out there waiting to tempt you into corruption,” she said.

On 14 June, Peters, together with the MEC for Community Safety in Gauteng, Sizakele Nkosi Malobane, bestowed 200 traffic diplomas to the new traffic officers who will be deployed to different parts of the province.

Peters repeatedly told the new recruits to resist the temptation of taking bribes and instructed them to implement the law without fear, favour or prejudice. “Always remember that the embarrassment of being caught in corruption will not be borne by you alone. This embarrassment will extend to your families, children and the entire government.”

Peters also spoke about her concern about the increasing number of unwarranted attacks on traffic law enforcement officers. “Every week there are reports of a traffic officer who is run over by some rogue who refuses to obey the rules of the road.”

Peters also called on the courts to deal harshly with the people who attack officers for doing their work. “An attack on law enforcement officers is an attack on the State.”

At the same time, the minister handed over nine mobile vehicle testing stations to all provinces. With the mobile unit, traffic officers will be able to test the roadworthiness of vehicles, helping them to assess whether the brake system, steering wheel and lights function properly, on the spot.

“While human error remains a major contributor to fatal road crashes, we understand that vehicle factors also play a significant and important role. Our analysis of fatal crashes shows that tyre bursts, smooth tyres, faulty brakes, faulty steering mechanisms and headlights are responsible factors in crashes,” Peters explained.

With the launch of the unit, she said all motorists should know that the days of driving unroadworthy vehicles are coming to an end. She said officers are now equipped with the necessary technology to speedily identify unfit vehicles and remove them from the road.

“Safety on the road is not negotiable,” she concluded.