This article explores discretionary decision-making in a specific traffic police unit. This study was undertaken from a social constructivism perspective, using a single holistic case study design. The research involved presenting scenarios to traffic officials at different stages, first at the end of their training, and then again six months after they started work, to determine how they would deal with situations that required them to use their discretion. The study sought to understand the extent to which exposing newly recruited traffic officials to the realities of traffic road policing influenced their notions of discretionary decision-making. The findings suggest that there are gaps in the training of these traffic officers and it proposes that the existing pedagogical style of training be replaced with an andragogical one, focusing on judgment drills in ethical dilemmas.Street-level bureaucrats, such as traffic officials, are the daily interface between members of the public and the government. As such, each official is judged by citizens on the basis of their expectation and hope for fair and effective treatment by government. Street-level bureaucrats have considerable discretion in how laws and regulations are operationalised, and effectively engage in policy delivery every time they interact with a member of the public.1 Debates about discretion, and how to prepare traffic officials for decision-making in an occupation where they are required to regularly make discretionary decisions, tend to create more questions than provide definitive resolutions.2 The questions raised centre on defining or describing discretionary decision-making, on how it should be acquired and, foremost, whether discretionary decision-making ability arises from values learned or value predisposition. 3 The view in this article is that discretionary decision-making results from an innate value set which is modified by learning and teaching, honing it into a useful knowledge and skill set. The manner in which this learning takes place is crucial to informing how it can be transferred to the work context.
This article also tries to compare the situation of a student sports person injured while participating in university sports, and a drama student injured during a performance or rehearsal of a play. It is stated that the relationship between the drama student and lecturer is similar to the relationship between a sports person and his/her coach, but the relationship differs in that a sports person’s risk of getting hurt is much greater than that of a drama student, The contracts between sports players and their authorities are also stipulated in much more detail than the contracts (if any) between the drama students and the university. It is concluded that the legislation is not clear on the specific matters where a student undergoes practical training while they are still studying. The suggestion is that a sectoral determination must be put in place to regulate the relationship, the remuneration, the working hours and the working conditions and risks involved.
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