Thousands turn up for traffic officer recruitment drive at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg
Thousands of people said to be heading to the Royal Showground for the RTI recruitment process.
Image: Msunduzi municipality
Thousands of young people hoping to be traffic officers in KwaZulu-Natal have turned up at the Pietermaritzburg Royal Showgrounds for the recruitment process.
The large gathering of people in the area has caused traffic logjams across the city. There are about 200 posts available.
Spokesperson for the KZN Department of Transport, Ndabe Sibiya, said, “By 10h30, more than 7,000 applicants had already written the assessment test for the 200 Trainee Provincial Inspector posts at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg. We have received more than 34,000 applications. This is a clear indication of the interest to be part of the highly energetic and efficient Road Traffic Inspectorate.
“We are encouraged by the show of unity as parents, relatives, friends, and community members all rally behind applicants who want to be part of building a prosperous KwaZulu-Natal. Importantly, we wish to apologise to the motorists, residents, and workers who were inconvenienced this morning. We value the support from the Msunduzi Traffic Department and many other key stakeholders who are working with the department to minimise traffic congestion,” he said.
In a statement, the Msunduzi Municipality said: “The Msunduzi Municipality would like to inform residents and motorists that heavy traffic congestion is being experienced in and around the Royal Showgrounds area today. This is due to the KwaZulu-Natal Traffic Police Selection Process currently taking place at the venue, which has attracted a large number of applicants and vehicles.
“Motorists are advised to exercise patience and use alternative routes where possible. The Municipality apologises for any inconvenience caused and appreciates the public’s understanding and cooperation during this period,” said the city in a statement.
Around 2012, the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) held a similar recruitment process, which went awry and left several people dead or hospitalised due to a rigorous physical fitness test.
At the time, the Public Servants Association stated that the loss of seven lives could have been avoided had the provincial Department of Transport planned its recruitment process beforehand.