RTMC’s bungling angers traffic cop recruits

The Road Traffic Management Corporations’ (RTMC) mass recruitment of national traffic officers has been marred by confusion, frustration and allegations of administrative bungling spread over three years.

In September 2017, RTMC announced a recruitment drive for 1,000 officers, with the process gaining moment the following year when the applicants went through security clearance and criminal records checks.

According to RTMC’s 2016/2017 annual report, the training of the traffic officers could not be achieved due to “infrastructure challenges” during the period under review.

In January 2019, the corporation could only select 300 people for training, while providing a R7,000 monthly stipend due to space limitations at the college.

The remaining applicants, now disgruntled and organised under the #700 movement, said they were told they would be called up in April last year, but that this never happened and they have not heard from RTMC.

“The question is why call for 1,000 people when you have space for only 300? What is more frustrating is that RTMC keep shifting the dates for the second batch to start training.

“We need to know where we stand. We have not received answers so we in the process raising funds for legal representations,” Mpho Matong, one of the applicants, said.

The National Traffic Police Unit is responsible for coordination, planning, regulation and facilitating traffic law enforcement by ensuring driver and vehicle fitness, and monitoring freight and public transport, dangerous driving, intoxicated driving, pedestrian enforcement as well overloading.

Though he has a selection letter for the programme, Sibusiso Lekonyane has had to leave the Denel Technical Academy in Kempton Park after three months due to an administrative bungle and has been in limbo since.

Lekonyane reported for training at the college on 27 January 2019 as per his letter of selection, but did not receive his stipend for three months as he did not appear on the system.

“I had to leave eventually and, though I am hopefully that they will sort out the issue, it has been stressful and frustrating. In March I was told to come after three months, then this would be shifted by another three months until the coronavirus lockdown struck,” he said.

In November 2018, the recruitment drive was temporarily halted to avoid a stampede, when scores of job seekers not shortlisted for the training programme flocked to Edenvale, Ruimsig and Pretoria centres.

RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said at no stage did RTMC promised anyone placement in the training programme.

Zwane agreed that 1,000 recruits were needed, but that they could only take the 300, and said they did not promise specific recruits that they will be enlisted, insisting only 300 letters of selection were issued by RTMC.

“They went through a recruitment process for the training programme. Only 300 were selected and none of the others were given promises to lay claim to the training opportunities. There was a change of plan because the college could only accommodate 300,” Zwane said.

He said there will be another selection process once they had sorted out their accommodation challenges and that communication will be directly with those who qualify.

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