Mpuma to get TRT-style traffic cop unit
2011-08-22 21:11
Secunda - A special unit of traffic officers similar to the police's tactical response team will be introduced in Mpumalanga.
Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe told guests at the Mpumalanga Driver of the Year Awards in Secunda on Saturday, that the team would be tasked with reducing road carnage.
"The unit will be similar to the popular tactical response team (TRT). It will be responsible for targeting the notorious killer roads and should change the killer roads into holy roads,” he said.
Shongwe said the unit would target the N12, N4, R40, N11, R23, R573.
"We mean business when we say we have had enough with road carnage in the province," he said.
Shongwe also thanked a group of women traffic officers, policewomen and women from the health department who set up a special roadblock on the N12 near Ogies last Thursday as part of Women's Month.
They issued 135 summonses.
"These women conducted a roadblock and scanned 3 085 vehicles," he said.
He said the women arrested the occupants of one vehicle that was found to be carrying drugs and illegal firearms.
The vehicle, which had a KwaZulu-Natal number plate, was also impounded.
"They also managed to recover R6 800 from motorists who had been issued with speeding tickets," said Shongwe.
Shongwe said he wanted to see more unity between the men and women in blue, including traffic officers.
Shongwe's spokesperson, Joseph Mabuza, said the special traffic cop unit would be introduced soon, but was unable to give a date as yet.
