Occupational Diploma: Traffic Officer

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Traffic Officer.

A traffic officer directs, controls and coordinates traffic operations in pursuit of safety on public roads. They provide effective law enforcement through planning and co-ordination of road traffic matters to ensure safe, secure, and responsible use of roads in the republic.

A qualified traffic officer will be able to

• Evaluate and interpret traffic flow and traffic crash patterns by applying standard methods and techniques in the context of road traffic legislation, road safety audits, statistical analysis, and relevant standard operating procedures.
• Select, investigate, and apply appropriate methods, procedures, and techniques to ensure that vehicles comply with prescribed minimum standards of roadworthiness.
• Implement and manage driver licencing testing centres' processes by assessing and certifying driver's licence applicants in accordance with prescribed legislation and procedures.
• Collect, evaluate, and synthesize information derived from various data sources to prepare a case within the context of crime and crash prevention models.
• Respond to crash and crime scenes, incidents as well dangerous goods events and manage a plan that encompasses various other role players to mitigate secondary risks effectively and efficiently in the preliminary investigations as a first responder.
• Evaluate potentially dangerous situations and select an appropriate tactical response in accordance with the minimum force regulations, apply restraining techniques and use a firearm, when necessary, to protect oneself and members of society.

Rationale

As at the end of June 2021, the registered vehicles population as per the National Traffic Information Management System (NATIS) reflected a total 12 913 175 vehicles. With every second person who enters the world of work wanting to own and drive a car, coupled with South Africa becoming a sought-after tourist destination the demand for an essential service of the traffic law enforcement is envisaged to grow exponentially. The need for this qualification stems from the necessity to revise the existing similar qualifications, namely, the Occupational Certificate: Traffic Officer with SAQA ID: 97639. Eventually the Occupational Certificate: Traffic Officer, SAQA ID: 97639 and the legacy qualification, FETC: Road Traffic Law Enforcement, SAQA ID: 62289 will be replaced by the revised occupational qualification.

Amongst others, the significance of the revised qualification is the inclusion of crime prevention modules, and the basic firer fighting and basic first aid modules as well as the splitting of the previously burdened modules in the current qualification that reflected disproportion of credits to workload during implementation by the skills development providers. This qualification is geared to repositioning the training norms and standards of traffic officers in line with the envisaged development of a 21st Century Cadre of traffic personnel for South Africa. The development of this qualification did not only earn acknowledgement of achievement in South Africa, but also sparked interest from several members of Southern African Development Community (SADC).

This qualification is ringfenced and can only be offered by Traffic Training Centres that have been approved in terms of the National Road Traffic Act, 93 of 1996. According to Section 3D (1) (a) of the National Road Traffic Act, 1996, (Act No. 93 of 1996), the minimum requirements for registration as a traffic officer, shall be that the applicant has obtained his/her qualification at a Traffic Training Centre approved as prescribed by Regulation 2B of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2000, and the Policy Document of Traffic Training Centres as published in the Government Gazette no. 34292 of 2011.

The above is reinforced by Section 18 of the Road Traffic Management Act, 20 of 1999 wherein the Shareholders Committee must accordingly, as part of the organisational structuring of the Road Traffic Management Corporation, establish a unit responsible for the training of traffic personnel amongst many other functional units to ensure effective management of the road traffic fraternity.

Furthermore, it should also be noted that the legacy qualification, FETC, Road Traffic Law Enforcement, FETC, SAQA ID: 62289 and the Occupational Certificate: Traffic Officer, SAQA ID: 97639 were ringfenced as per the above-mentioned reasons, but have now reached their registration end date.

The benefit to the traffic law enforcement fraternity from the revised qualification will be a pool of properly trained and competent "Responsible, Accountable, Relevant and Ethical" (RARE) traffic law enforcement officers. The economy will benefit as more ethical and legally compliant traffic law enforcement officers will be deployed to curb the unacceptably high levels of road carnage on our public roads. Consequently, millions of Rands claimed from the Road Accident Fund (RAF) due to road accidents will be saved as road crash rates reduce as is the orphaned children who relies on the social grants from the Department of Social Development The society will also benefit from safer roads since motorists/drivers are likely to obey rules of the road as more qualified traffic officers will be deployed and visible on the public roads.

The typical learners are the new entrants selected by the different spheres of government responsible for road traffic law enforcement in terms of the National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act 93 of 1996), as well as currently practising traffic officers who would access this qualification through recognition of prior learning (RPL). Learners who successfully complete this qualification will be eligible to operate as Traffic and Metro Police Officers, Examiners of Vehicles and Examiners for Driving Licences.

Currently, no registration with a professional body is required for practicing traffic officers. However, after successfully completing this qualification, the qualified traffic officers will be required to register with the relevant enforcement authority in terms of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA). This enforcement authority will issue them with an appointment certificate and an infrastructure number that will enable and allow them to execute their traffic law enforcement duties as authorised officers.

Broader consultations were conducted with institutions of higher learning, department of transport, police and traffic training institutions and other transport agencies during the review of this occupational qualification.

This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules

Knowledge Modules

• 541201-000-00-01-KM-01, Orientation, NQF Level 04, 3 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-02, Communication Skills, NQF Level 05, 12 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-03, Professionalism and Practice, NQF Level 06, 7 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-04, Road Traffic Law Enforcement Legislation, NQF Level 05, 12 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-05, Additional Road Traffic Law Enforcement Legislation, NQF Level 06, 20 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-06, Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences Act, NQF Level 06, 7 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-07, Legal framework for road traffic law enforcement, NQF Level 5, 12 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-08, Criminal Procedure, NQF Level 07, 16 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-09, Introduction to Traffic Criminology, NQF Level 06, 7 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-10, Road Safety Education and Road Safety Systems, NQF Level 06, 10 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-11 Tactical Techniques and Procedures, NQF Level 5, 4 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-12, Theory and Use of Firearm, NQF Level 05, 4 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-13, Corruption and Anti-Corruption Strategies, NQF Level 06, 5 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-14, Client Service Centre (CSC) Operational Principles, NQF Level 5, 8 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-15, Mental Wellbeing, NQF Level 06, 2 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-16, Examine and Test Motor Vehicles for Roadworthiness, NQF Level 06, 10 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-17, Basic Personal Financial Management Skills, NQF Level 4, 3 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-18, Introduction to Basic Crash Investigation, NQF Level 5, 4 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-19, Carry-out Basic First Aid, NQF Level 4, 3 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-20, Carry-out Basic Firefighting, NQF Level 4, 4 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-21, Criminal Law, NQF Level 07, 16 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-KM-22, Crime Prevention, NQF Level 05, 6 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 175

Practical Skill Modules

• 541201-000-00-01-PM-01-: Ensure a free flow of traffic and execute general road traffic law enforcement duties, NQF Level 05, 9 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-PM-02, Apply Tactical Survival Techniques, NQF Level 05, 6 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-PM-03: Execute Specialised Traffic Law Enforcement Duties, NQF Level 06, 12 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-PM-04, Apply Advanced Driving Skills: Defensive Driving, NQF Level 05, 3 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-PM-05, Maintain Discipline, NQF Level 05, 8 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-PM-06, Tactically Use a Firearm in Appropriate Situation/S, NQF Level 05, 6 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-PM-07, Examine Vehicles for Roadworthiness, NQF Level 06, 14 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-PM-08, Examine Applicants for Learners' Licence and Driving Licence, NQF Level 06, 10 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-PM-09, Basic Crash Investigations Procedures, NQF Level 05, 8 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 75

Work Experience Modules

• 541201-000-00-01-WM-01-, Processes of Regulating Free Flow of Traffic on Public Roads, NQF Level 05, 20 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-WM-02, Processes of Responding to and Managing Incidents, NQF Level 06, 60 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-WM-03- Processes of Examining Vehicles for Fitness, NQF Level 6, 20 Credits.
• 541201-000-00-01-WM-04, Processes of Examining Applicants for Learners and Driving Licence, NQF Level 6, 20 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 120

1. Apply standard methods and techniques in the context of road traffic legislation, road safety audits, statistical analysis, and relevant standard operating procedures to evaluate and interpret traffic flow and traffic crash patterns.
2. Demonstrate the ability to select and apply appropriate methods, procedures, and techniques to ensure that vehicles comply with prescribed minimum standards of roadworthiness.
3. Demonstrate the ability to implement and manage driver licencing testing centres' processes by assessing and certifying driver's licence applicants in accordance with prescribed legislation and procedures.
4. Demonstrate the ability to collect, evaluate, and synthesize information derived from various data sources to prepare a case within the context of crime and crash prevention models.
5. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate potentially dangerous situations and select an appropriate tactical response in accordance with the minimum force regulations, apply restraining techniques and use a firearm when necessary to protect oneself and members of society.
6. Demonstrate the ability to respond to crash and crime scenes, incidents as well as dangerous goods events and manage a plan that encompasses various other role players to mitigate secondary risks effectively and efficiently in the preliminary investigations as a first responder.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

ELO 1: Apply standard methods and techniques in the context of road traffic legislation, road safety audits, statistical analysis, and relevant standard operating procedures to evaluate and interpret traffic flow and traffic crash patterns.

• Analyse the flow of traffic and apply the best solutions to mitigate congestion and crash risks.
• Monitor a wide range of offences relating to driver behaviour, vehicle fitness, public transport as well as cross-border transport and consider or implement remedial interventions. Identify offences relating to road traffic, vehicle, and driver fitness.
• Communicate with various stakeholders and convey complex information in a manner prescribed in legislation and departmental policies to affected institutions and communities.
• Apply professionalism, organisational etiquette, and protocols as per Codes of Conduct and standard operation procedures.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

ELO 2: Demonstrate the ability to select and apply appropriate methods, procedures, and techniques to ensure that vehicles comply with prescribed minimum standards of roadworthiness.

• Examine motor vehicles for compliance to legislation and national standards.
• Assess and evaluate motor vehicles systems and components according to applicable legislation and set standards.
• Analyse compliance related to the vehicle testing centres and the roadworthiness of the vehicle in terms of relevant legislation and national standards.
• Confirm road worthiness results and certify the status.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

ELO 3: Demonstrate the ability to implement and manage driver licencing testing centres' processes by assessing and certifying driver's licence applicants in accordance with prescribed legislation and procedures.

• Apply the prescribed administrative and operating procedures for processing applications for learners' and driving licences.
• Apply the prescribed procedure and standards in terms of legislation to conclude the outcome of the learners' licence test. Conduct driving licence tests within a premises (test station yard) in respect of various categories of driving licences.
• Apply prescribed procedure and standards in terms of legislation to conduct the driving licence test on a public road in respect of all categories of driving licences.
• Assess the outcome of a test and certify or reject applicant competency.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

ELO 4: Demonstrate the ability to collect, evaluate, and synthesize information derived from various data sources to prepare a case within the context of crime and crash prevention models.

• Evaluate and implement crime prevention and detection principles and concepts to determine its impact on the execution of daily law enforcement functions.
• Develop crash prediction models based on an analysis of crime and crash trends and consider appropriate law enforcement interventions.
• Interact and communicate to various stakeholders ascertain risks as perceived by community/sector groups based on acceptable policing principles.
• Implement selected remedies and evaluate outcomes in terms of their applicability and impact on crash and crime.
• Develop a range of patrol deployment strategies to minimise the incidence of traffic crime and crashes to acceptable target rates and monitor the output and outcomes of the institution over time.
• Evaluate community/sector policing principles in terms of their applicability to determine its impact on the execution of daily law enforcement functions.
• Conduct crime prevention operations to prevent, detect, and reduce crime.
• Evaluate policing principles and the application thereof during the execution of crime prevention and crime detection duties.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

ELO 5: Demonstrate the ability to evaluate potentially dangerous situations and select an appropriate tactical response in accordance with the minimum force regulations, apply restraining techniques and use a firearm when necessary to protect oneself and members of society.

• Display critical and analytical thinking during the identification and solving of incidents by selecting the appropriate application of tactical techniques in each law enforcement situation ensuring safety of self, the team, and others.
• Apply the relevant force and restraining techniques and safe use of firearms whilst maintaining safety of self, the team, and others in executing duties.
• Conduct policies duties and functions by tactically and physically evaluating and proactively and/or reactively attending to complaints of crime involving the use of firearms in a safe, secure, and professional manner.
• Conduct duties and functions by tactically and physically evaluating and proactively and/or reactively attending to complaints of crime involving persons, premises, and vehicles in a safe, secure, and professional manner according to the nature of the incident.
• Demonstrate the understanding of the consequences of the use of force that could profoundly impact on the law enforcement institution, and the individual officer itself.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

ELO 6: Demonstrate the ability to respond to crash and crime scenes, incidents as well as dangerous goods events and manage a plan that encompasses various other role players to mitigate secondary risks effectively and efficiently in the preliminary investigations as a first responder.

• Execute the roles and responsibilities of the first responder to a crime scene.
• Attend and secure the scene of incident or crime according to organisational specific prescripts to protect potential evidence.
• Utilise individualising processes to establish a link between a perpetrator and a specific offence.
• Collect, analyse, organise, record and critically evaluate information to ascertain whether a crime has been committed and which legislation may have an impact on the actions to be taken.
• Monitor the possible predatory towing conduct of vehicle recovery services at crash scenes and take appropriate action to protect road users from exploitation.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated Formative Assessment

The Skills Development Providers will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. This formative assessment leads to entrance into the integrated External Summative Assessment.

Integrated Summative Assessment

An External Integrated Summative Assessment, conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality Partner is required to issue this qualification. The External Integrated Summative Assessment will focus on the Exit Level Outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria. Additional to the written assessment the learner must also submit a portfolio of evidence compiled of outcomes achieved in the workplace.

A written assessment will take place over one day and it will consist of various question types, based on theoretical and practical skills with the inclusion of relevant scenarios and or case studies. The assessment will be decentralised and conducted at assessment site/s and assessment centres recommended by the Assessment Quality Partner and approved by the QCTO.