Traffic rejects’ anger
RECRUITMENT: WE WANT ANSWERS, TO BE EMPLOYED, SAY APPLICANTS
It is as simple as they didn’t make the cut, says official.
While Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga welcomed 600 aspiring traffic cops to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) traffic trainee programme at the Boekenhoutkloof Traffic Training Academy, a group of applicants who didn’t make the cut demanded a second chance to be enrolled.
RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said it was as simple as they didn’t make the cut.
Zwane said they were aware of the applicants who picketed.
“We had 92 000 applicants, there is no way we could take everybody,” he said.
Zwane said the best of the best was enrolled.
One of the rejected applicants, Xolani Chili, who spoke on behalf of the disappointed hopefuls, said they suspected foul play during the final stages of the recruitment process.
“We want answers. We also want to attend college in June and we also want to be employed. The objective of the report is to notify the recruitment agency Milton Resourcing and 11 stakeholders of how we are unhappy about the recruitment process,” he said.
Chili said the applicants were notified of the dates and locations of the assessment via SMS.
“Most of us completed a physical assessment, a driving assessment and the interview,” he said.
“Most of us were invited for fingerprints and were awaiting medical tests when we heard there was an orientation taking place today without us.”
Chili said they had a whatsApp group of over 800 hopeful traffic cops who did not make it to the orientation.
Chili said their demands included that all successful candidates have the opportunity to undergo the medical tests and those who passed to join the orientation programme for trainees.
Another applicant Nthabi Nkosi said she arrived at the academy at about 6am to find out why her application was unsuccessful.
“I fractured my wrist flipping a tyre during the physical assessment and continued with a broken wrist. I really wanted to qualify,” she said.
Nkosi said she would do anything to be part of the programme.
She applied in 2022 and got a response last year. She passed the fitness test and was invited for an interview and then went for the fingerprint verification.
“I got a call that I made it to the final stage of the process, but never received the confirmation SMS,” she said.
Nkosi said she was passionate about serving the country and wanted to follow in the footsteps of her brother who is a police officer.
“This was my only hope, but my dreams were shattered at the gate and nobody wants to listen to us or answer us,” she said.
Yesterday, Chikunga welcomed the third intake of 600 trainee traffic officers who would start training on 1 June.
“Only the best selected from thousands of hopefuls,” she said.