MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay Municipality is investigating the possibility of establishing a training facility for law enforcement officials, such as traffic officers.
The intention is that all towns in the greater Garden Route region and the Western Cape may benefit from such an initiative.
Law enforcement officials not only deal with traffic violations, but also have the responsibility for enforcing municipal by-laws and for crime prevention.
In the Western Cape, training of traffic officers is done in Brackenfell only. Aspiring traffic officers, however, must be employed by a local government or provincial authority first before the candidate may start training at any of the accredited training facilities.
Also, a new qualification in the traffic policing environment - the Occupational Certificate: Traffic Officers - was registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and is designed to enhance officers' professionalism. The qualification, however, has received criticism as the certificate was registered against 406 credits on Level Six of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), the system that records the credits assigned to each level of learning achievement in a formal way to ensure the skills and knowledge that have been learnt are recognised throughout the country.
In comparison, however, a first degree such as a B Sc or a diploma after three years of study at Level Seven of the NQF covers only 360 credits.
Furthermore, the duration of three years of the course means that student traffic officers will have to be employed and remunerated by local governments without being utilised for traffic policing duties before receiving their certificates.
Having to have the training done in Brackenfell incurs further costs with regards to travel and subsistence for municipalities.
For the time being, the Gene Louw Traffic College has been granted permission to deliver its one-year Technical and Vocational Education and Training Certificate: Road Traffic Law Enforcement (NQF Level 4) for a further three years from 2019 before delivering the new qualification.
Explaining the dilemma to stakeholders at the intergovernmental meeting between the Mossel Bay and the Garden Route District municipalities, Chris Botha of the University of Stellenbosch SociaNovus initiative recommended that distance learning and learnerships should be investigated.
"A partnership between the municipality and the Gene Louw Traffic College may address training needs more effectively and timeously," Botha said. However, a phased approach was recommended.
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