Mthatha road transgressors be warned – traffic ace Tshepo Machaea could soon be out to get you.The renowned former Eastern Cape provincial Arrive Alive spokesman is in discussions with King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality authorities to sort out their messy and chaotic streets.
And the 50-year-old traffic lawman aims to do just that, with support from his new bosses and the general public.
Speaking to Saturday Dispatch, the soft-spoken Machaea confirmed that the talks were on the go.
“We are in the process of finalising the appointment,” he said, adding he was relishing the prospect of working for the municipality, where his career as a traffic lawman started in earnest.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said officials hoped to wrap up the negotiations with Machaea soon. “We have gone with Tshepo because of his vast experience and his skills in handling traffic-related matters,” he said.
Machaea started working for the then-City of Mthatha council in 1987, before being promoted to the post of traffic warden, and later became a fully-fledged traffic officer.
By the time he left to join the provincial government when Arrive Alive was launched in 1996, he was already a senior traffic officer.
And to repay KSD’s faith in him, he has promised to root out all bad elements on Mthatha’s roads once and for all.
“Obviously it’s not going to be easy but with the right kind of support from both the municipality and the residents themselves, I can assure them their town will come back to them.
“The dignity of Mthatha will be restored,” Machaea said.
He said the well-documented traffic woes that have plagued Mthatha had their roots in minor road offences being overlooked by law enforcement officers. These minor offences included motorists driving without seatbelts or driving while talking on their cellphones.
“Then this becomes a culture of some sort as years go by. We also have a problem where motorists themselves do not respect each other on the roads.”
Apart from trying to bring order and stability to KSD’s roads, Machaea has also registered his own consulting company, called Community Safety Renaissance, to try and promote road safety.
KSD residents including motorists, business and ordinary citizens have welcomed the news of Machaea’s impending appointment, saying if anyone could turn the city’s traffic chaos around, it would be him.
“He’s got a nice, clean track record and is very dedicated. When we have problems we phone him even at midnight but he never complains,” said OR Tambo District Chamber of Business president Vuyisile Ntlabati.
“Investors are shying away from putting money in this city because of the traffic chaos.”
The secretary of the Mthatha Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Assocation, Noxolo Phohlwana, also welcomed the news, describing Machaea as a man of integrity. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Taking aim at Mthatha roads
The renowned former Eastern Cape provincial Arrive Alive spokesman is in discussions with King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality authorities to sort out their messy and chaotic streets.
And the 50-year-old traffic lawman aims to do just that, with support from his new bosses and the general public.
Speaking to Saturday Dispatch, the soft-spoken Machaea confirmed that the talks were on the go.
“We are in the process of finalising the appointment,” he said, adding he was relishing the prospect of working for the municipality, where his career as a traffic lawman started in earnest.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said officials hoped to wrap up the negotiations with Machaea soon. “We have gone with Tshepo because of his vast experience and his skills in handling traffic-related matters,” he said.
Machaea started working for the then-City of Mthatha council in 1987, before being promoted to the post of traffic warden, and later became a fully-fledged traffic officer.
By the time he left to join the provincial government when Arrive Alive was launched in 1996, he was already a senior traffic officer.
And to repay KSD’s faith in him, he has promised to root out all bad elements on Mthatha’s roads once and for all.
“Obviously it’s not going to be easy but with the right kind of support from both the municipality and the residents themselves, I can assure them their town will come back to them.
“The dignity of Mthatha will be restored,” Machaea said.
He said the well-documented traffic woes that have plagued Mthatha had their roots in minor road offences being overlooked by law enforcement officers. These minor offences included motorists driving without seatbelts or driving while talking on their cellphones.
“Then this becomes a culture of some sort as years go by. We also have a problem where motorists themselves do not respect each other on the roads.”
Apart from trying to bring order and stability to KSD’s roads, Machaea has also registered his own consulting company, called Community Safety Renaissance, to try and promote road safety.
KSD residents including motorists, business and ordinary citizens have welcomed the news of Machaea’s impending appointment, saying if anyone could turn the city’s traffic chaos around, it would be him.
“He’s got a nice, clean track record and is very dedicated. When we have problems we phone him even at midnight but he never complains,” said OR Tambo District Chamber of Business president Vuyisile Ntlabati.
“Investors are shying away from putting money in this city because of the traffic chaos.”
The secretary of the Mthatha Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Assocation, Noxolo Phohlwana, also welcomed the news, describing Machaea as a man of integrity. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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