The development of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) scholar patrol project was initiated in 1982 after the Department of Education entered into a memorandum of understanding with schools and the previous traffic department. This came as a result of a need:

• To make children conscious of safety without exposing them to a dangerous traffic situation
• To encourage the sustainability of scholar patrols by continuous participation
• To teach children on how to assist fellow learners and other pedestrians to safely cross roads.

Scholar patrols are groups of students who look after the road safety of the students at the school. Each school has a scholar patrol group consisting of 20 to 22 students.

GOTG Involvement

GOTG has been involved in the Scholar Patrol and Road Safety Awareness Campaign since 2007. JMPD identified 320 schools, equating to 6,400 students.  Together with JMPD, in October 2007, we participated in the Road Safety Awareness programme at the schools and also distributed 50 food parcels.  On November 20, 2007, we sponsored 33 trophies, 726 medals and food for 6,000 students for the Scholar Patrol Awards held at Wembley Stadium.

In October 2008, we partnered with JMPD once again to provide trophies and medals to 340 schools for diligently doing their duty towards road safety. In 2008, we also joined Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) in their drive for Road Safety. GOTG once again helped in distributing trophies, medals and food to the schools that were involved in the Scholar Patrol programme.  Schools were split up into three groups and each group had a separate ceremony.

On 12 November 2010, GOTG and JMPD once again honoured the Scholar Patrol learners in the Gauteng area for their dedication, hard work and commitment at the Wembley Stadium. 300 trophies were given to each school, 600 medals to each captain and 1500 certificates to each scholar patrol member. After the formalities, a well deserved lunch was provided by GOTG.