New Trainees Join Gene Louw Traffic College

On 3 August 2015, 51 young people started a 12-month traffic officers’ training course at the Gene Louw Traffic College in Brackenfell. The College has a well-deserved reputation for producing dedicated and well-trained traffic officers who recognise their role in making our roads safer.

Forty-one are the Western Cape and ten from KwaZulu-Natal. The College’s training is accredited by the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) and the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC). In addition, the College is recognised as a firearm training institution by the South African Police Service (SAPS). Those trainees who successfully complete the course will graduate with a Further Education and Training (FET) Certificate in Road Traffic Law Enforcement.

Dehan Barnard (21) from Mossel Bay, who has applied three times before, is happy to have been chosen to participate in this training programme. “I’ve always wanted to become a traffic officer and am now finally following my dream. I am very keen to learn about legislation and compliance,” he said.

Phumeza Pobana (30) from Khayelitsha is happy to be at the college and has been longing for this opportunity. “To be able to enforce traffic laws in a professional manner excites me. I love what traffic officers do and want to learn as much as possible,” she said.

Shandré Issel (21) from Worcester is excited for the year ahead. “Traffic officers play an important role in our society,” he said. “That motivates me to become a person who serves my community with pride.”

Head of College Farrel Payne says trainees will undergo orientation this week and that lectures start next week. “Over the 12 months, trainees receive both theoretical and practical exposure. They will be deployed at various traffic centres to gain experience from specialised interventions during the Easter and December holiday periods.”

Better facilities at the college are also expected to improve traffic safety and facilitate the training of new recruits for many years to come. An upgrade to the K53 track and a new vehicle testing centre are scheduled for completion at the end of August 2015.