Hats off to cops in Mpumalanga

As we head towards Easter holidays, I urge everyone to be safe on our roads. We always read of deadly car accidents and most of these are blamed on irresponsible driving.

While many people are always complaining about the incompetence of police officers, I would like to salute the traffic department in Mpumalanga for their determination and hard work in ensuring safety of all road users and compliance by the drivers.

Traditionally, traffic cops are not motorists’ favourite people because they are perceived as individuals who make life difficult on the road.

What many people do not know is that the presence of these officers ensures safety and responsible driving, thus saving many lives and all forms of injuries that come with car accidents.

The Mpumalanga traffic police are always on the road patrolling and enforcing the rules.

Those of us who drive between Gauteng and Mozambique via Mpumalanga know that obeying the rules is not negotiable in Mpumalanga, a province known for visible policing.

Regardless of the time of year, there are always traffic cops all over the province, with speed-trap cameras mounted almost everywhere, thus ensuring that all the drivers keep to recommended speed limits.

This may look like a useless effort, but the truth is that by enforcing the rules, traffic cops are saving lives.

Yes, it is tiring to be stopped by cops every now and then to check if your vehicle is roadworthy and whether the driver is fit to be on the road.

However, the officers do this so that all the road users enjoy safe trips and and arrive alive in their destinations. I urge the provincial traffic police department to continue carrying out its mandate with excellence.

What these traffic cops are doing cannot escape our applause. May other provinces emulate this example.

Malphia Honwane Gottenburg, eManyeleti