There are fears that the Crime Prevention Wardens are risking their lives.
The DA in Gauteng is demanding answers from Premier Panyaza Lesufi about the legitimacy of the province’s Crime Prevention Wardens.
This comes after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhanazi told parliament that the unit is illegal and should not exist.
A day after Mkhwanazi made this statement, the Gauteng provincial government confirmed that the unit has not been incorporated into the Police Act.
“In December 2023, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Mr. Ronald Lamola, officially designated the Crime Prevention Wardens as Peace Officers in terms of Section 334 of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1977.
“This legal designation granted them the same legal status as Gauteng traffic officers,” said the provincial government.
The Crime Prevention Wardens are also referred to as Traffic Wardens. But they have also become affectionately known as “Amapanyaza.”
Lesufi should provide clarity
However, DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga said there are many unanswered questions about the formation of Crime Prevention Wardens.
“From the outset, we questioned the timing of their launch, which was conveniently rolled out on the eve of the 2024 General Elections.
“We questioned where the budget for this unfunded mandate would come from and expressed concerns about the lack of preparedness and training for the members of this programme, putting their lives at risk.
“We also highlighted the unclearly defined roles in crime prevention,” he said.
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Employment status
Msimanga said he also wanted to know why the Crime Prevention Wardens are not permanently employed.
“Currently, Gauteng Traffic Wardens are not permanently employed, and the reason is simple: they do not meet the requirements to become permanently employed peace officers.
“Additionally, they have not received proper training, which prevents them from being accredited,” he said.
Msimanga said even though some of these Crime Prevention Wardens are assigned to work with the police, there are concerns about their safety.
“Furthermore, the DA has it in good authority that there is uneasiness in their relationship with Saps, whereby they sometimes conduct illegal traffic stops because Saps members refuse to collaborate with them, leaving them exposed to attacks,” he said.
Why do we need the Crime Prevention Wardens?
Despite this, the Gauteng government insists that the Crime Prevention Wardens are legal and a necessary structure to help the province fight crime.
“The provincial government created the Traffic Wardens program to support and assist the national police (Saps) in their duties, not to replace them or interfere with the authority of other government bodies.
“This was in response to statistics that showed that the police-to-citizen ratio in the province was one officer for every 541 residents in a population of about 16 million and growing,” said the provincial government.
