Supervision is a critical aspect within traffic law enforcement authorities. The Code provides a framework that delineates the basic parameters for good governance within these authorities. This includes formal procedures that shall be introduced to establish uniformity in communication. Formal directives create stability and certainty for all road traffic law enforcement officers and ensure that orders are clearly communicated and executed.
2.1 Supervisors
| (a) |
Only registered traffic officers who comply with the minimum appointment requirements as reflected in Part 2 above may be appointed in a supervisory position. |
| (b) |
Supervisors must provide guidance and assistance to their subordinates. |
| (c) |
Supervisory personnel are responsible for subordinates’ adherence to the traffic law enforcement authority’s policies, rules, regulations, instructions, and standard operating procedures and must take reasonable action to ensure compliance. |
| (d) |
Supervisors are responsible for the maintenance of discipline and must provide leadership, supervision and at all times set an example to ensure professionalism, efficacy and efficiency within the traffic law enforcement authority. |
| (e) |
Supervisors must monitor the job performance of their subordinates in terms of the traffic law enforcement authority’s policies and the prescribed directives contained in this Code |
| (f) |
Supervisory personnel are responsible for all job-related failures on the part of their subordinates when the supervisor was aware or should reasonably have been aware of the failure, or the potential for failure, and failed to take appropriate action to correct the deficiency. |
| (a) |
The authority to authorise, issue, retract or to modify written directives issued in terms of this Code, is vested in the Chief of Traffic. |
| (b) |
The Chief of Traffic may delegate his or her authority for issuing any written directives to the Deputy Chief of Traffic Services or the head of a division. |
| (c) |
Directives must not conflict with an established policy or procedures, unless the (directive constitutes a revision or replacement of an existing policy or procedure. |
| (d) |
A replacement directive shall indicate which directive/s it replaces. |
| 2.3 |
Types of written directives |
| (a) |
General orders are permanent orders concerned with policy, rules and procedures and usually affect more than one division. |
| (b) |
General orders are issued and signed by the Chief of Traffic. |
| 2.3.2 |
Standard operating procedure (SOP’s) |
| (a) |
Standard operating procedure is a standardised, step-by-step procedure that provides written instructions to employees. |
| (b) |
A standard operating procedure is issued and signed by the Chief of Traffic. |
| (a) |
A special order is an order affecting only a specific division or a procedure regarding a specific circumstance or event that is of a changing or temporary nature. |
| (b) |
Special orders are issued and signed by the Chief of Traffic or head of a division. |
| (c) |
Special orders are self-cancelling after no more than 90 days, unless otherwise specified. |
| (a) |
A memorandum is a formal document that may or may not convey an instruction. |
| (b) |
A memorandum is generally used to clarify, inform or enquire. |
| (c) |
A memorandum for directing compliance or conveying an instruction, must be issued by the officer who has authority to do so. |
| (d) |
Memoranda must be prepared in the format prescribed by the Chief of Traffic. |
| 2.3.5 |
Review of directives |
| (a) |
Proposed policies, procedures, rules or changes to written directives must be coordinated and distributed by the Chief of Traffic or the head of a division. |
| (b) |
All proposals must be reviewed to assess the directive’s impact on existing policies or procedures. |
| (c) |
The directives should be reviewed by command as well as affected staff. |
| (d) |
The Chief of Traffic or head of a division may revoke a directive after a review thereof. |
| (e) |
Revocation is affected by stamping or writing in red ink the word “REVOKED”, the letters of which shall be 5 cm high. |
| (f) |
The revoked instruction must be disseminated in the same manner as the initial directive to inform employees of such revocation. |
| (g) |
The directive number must not be re-used after revocation. |
| (h) |
All proposals creating new policies, procedures or rules, or the changing of existing policies, procedures or rules, shall be directed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for purposes of a review of this Code. |
| (i) |
All policies, procedures and rules shall be aligned to the objectives of this Code. |
| 2.3.6 |
Record of directives |
| (a) |
The head of traffic or other designated senior officer shall maintain an independent set of master files of all directives and revocations. |
| (b) |
The files must contain the original signed copy of the directive, copies of previous directives replaced by the current directive and materials relevant to the development of the directive. |
| 2.3.7 |
Dissemination of directives |
| (a) |
The Chief of Traffic or a head of traffic shall ensure that directives are disseminated to all employees directly or indirectly affected by such directive. |
| (b) |
Supervisors must ensure that all employees receiving directives, acknowledge receipt and comprehension thereof in the manner and form prescribed. |
| (c) |
Supervisors are responsible for explaining and clarifying the special and general orders when they are issued. |
Witness Protection Act, 1998
