The Road Traffic Management Traffic Corporation says it regrets the conduct of National Traffic Police members deployed in Mpumalanga‚ who rejected the accommodation booked for them. Instead‚ they slept on the side of the road - with their weapons visible.

"Twenty officers have intransigently refused to occupy rooms that were booked for them at Komatipoort in Mpumalanga‚ opting to sleep out in the open. Through their conduct‚ the officers have brought the Corporation and the entire government into disrepute and undermined government efforts to improve safety on the roads over the Easter period‚" the RMTC said in a stern message on Friday.

Photos of the cops sleeping out were shared on Twitter‚ with accusations that the officers had been left stranded by their employer.

The corporation said some officers had booked into the rooms provided for them.

The issue may be linked to a labour dispute‚ the RMTC signalled.

"The action of these officers happens against the background of a court interdict obtained by the Corporation in January preventing officers from embarking on illegal industrial action.

". . . Efforts are currently been put in place to resolve the situation."

More than 170 members of the National Traffic Police have been deployed in different provinces to work alongside provincial and municipal colleagues over the Easter period.