MBOMBELA – Community Safety, Security MEC Vusi Shongwe’s brain child unit is obviously yielding positive results.
Last week 62 members received certificates after completing two weeks of intensive training.
During the certification ceremony,Head of Department for Mpumalanga Community safety, Security and Liaison, William Mthombothi urged the newly trained members of Traffic Intervention Unit(TIU) to use their skills not only to enhance road safety but also to contribute towards bringing to book dangerous crime suspects while they are on the road.
Mthombothi was speaking last week in Phalaborwa Military Base where the members received certificates after the two weeks programme that included speed and accurate shooting, approach and searching of vehicles as well as orientation of house or building clearing.
The 62 TIU members were sent to this course as part of enhancing their skills so that they are able to respond to various tactical situations on the road.
“It was important for the department to send TIU members to this training because sometimes they are exposed to dangerous crime suspects on the highways when vehicles are stolen.
We now believe that they are ready to even help the police in responding to various crime situations on the road when the need arises,” said Mthombothi.
Mthombothi also said what is pleasing is that the rigorous training that members were exposed to was conducted by the South African Defence Force members who are well experienced in such training methods.
He further added that the 62 members will add the desired vigour in government’s effort to enforce law on the road during this Easter Holidays and beyond.
The members were part of the provincial traffic team members who were seconded to TIU when it was it was established in October 2011.
The unit was set up specifically to enable the department to deal with problematic roads such as N4, R573, N12, N17, R40, N11, R23, N2, R538, D797, R570 and R546.
Since the unit was established it has been critical in major operations to deal with drunken driving and Overall Friday programmes where many road offenders were brought to book.
They have further played a major part to assist in stabilizing traffic during service delivery protests at areas such as Piet Retief, Secunda, Bushbuckridge, Ermelo and Hendrina among others.
