The 133 traffic officers who graduated on Monday will hit the ground running, as the Western Cape enters the festive season, a time of increased travel and heightened road safety risks.
"These new recruits will be deployed across the province, bolstering law enforcement capacity and ensuring safer journeys for all road users," the Western Cape Provincial Government said in a statement.
The provincial government hosted a graduation ceremony on Monday at the Gene Louw Traffic College in Brackenfell, Cape Town.
The ceremony marked the culmination of a rigorous 12-month training programme to equip recruits with the skills and knowledge required to enforce traffic laws, manage incidents and ensure road safety across the province.
It encompassed 30 unit standards as part of the Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC) in Road Traffic Law Enforcement.
These standards include critical areas such as the National Road Traffic Act, Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences, crash scene management, incident management systems, and anti-corruption practices.
The newly graduated officers also received specialised training in dangerous goods handling, firearms control, tactical stops and approaches, restraining techniques, and ethics and wellness.
"Learners were further introduced to modern traffic technology, such as handheld devices, as part of the province's commitment to modernising traffic enforcement," the provincial government said.
To complete their certification, learners passed two final integrated summative assessments conducted by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) in November 2024.
Western Cape Mobility MEC, Isaac Sileku, commended the graduates for their hard work and dedication.
"This graduation marks a major milestone not only in the lives of these traffic officers but also in our ongoing efforts to enhance road safety in the Western Cape.
"Their training has equipped them with the skills to respond effectively to the challenges of modern traffic law enforcement, especially during the busy festive season."
Sileku said he was confident that their deployment would contribute to safer roads and saving lives.
"Once again, I also appeal to our residents and visitors to please work with us and practice responsible road use behaviour to ensure that we and our loved ones all get to our destinations safely."
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said these provincial traffic officers will go a long way in bolstering road safety efforts by covering as much of the province's road network as possible, especially over the festive season.
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"They are so much more than traffic officials though. They should also see themselves as part of our broader safety and security network, where they too play an important part in keeping communities safe from crime.
"As hard as these women and men will be working to keep all road users safe, motorists and pedestrians also need to be aware of their roles and responsibilities. Please behave responsibly on the roads. Let us all make sure we all reach our destinations safely."
The provincial governmen said it remained committed to road safety and ensuring that every journey taken in the province is a safe one.
