Department refutes claims over Crime Prevention Wardens programme
Department spokesperson Moeti Mmusi said the information contains incorrect figures and is misleading.
The Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison (DCSSL) has refuted information circulating on media platforms regarding the province’s Crime Prevention Wardens (CPWs) programme, calling it false and misleading.
Department spokesperson Moeti Mmusi said the information contains incorrect figures and appears intended to portray the provincial government and the executive in a negative light.
Mmusi said the process of converting CPWs into Traffic Wardens and Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Brigades has been completed.
He said the CPWs’ contracts commenced on December 1, 2024, and run for two years.
Upon their appointment, the wardens received crime prevention training from a Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority-accredited service provider at a cost of about R3.2m.
After completing their training, they were initially deployed at 90 police stations across the province.
“However, during last year, they were informed that they would be converted into Traffic Wardens due to various challenges related to the utilisation of their services at police stations, as there was no legislation fully supporting their deployment there,” said Mmusi.
As part of the conversion process, the wardens received further training at the Mpumalanga Traffic Training College and are currently assisting with traffic-related duties and road safety initiatives.
Mmusi said some of the wardens were also converted into GBVF Brigades and trained to help combat gender-based violence and femicide in communities, working in collaboration with various stakeholders.
“The amount flouted around as an expenditure for the programme is misleading. The department views this as a deliberate act to dent the image of the government,” said Mmusi.
He said the programme has an allocation of R52m over a two-year period. The programme is scheduled to end on November 30, and is currently undergoing an assessment, according to the department. Mmusi said the department therefore refutes the information circulating in the public domain, describing it as misleading.
“The department remains committed to ensuring that value for money is derived from this programme, and urges communities to be vigilant against individuals whose quest to mislead the public will be exposed,” he said.
The department’s reaction came following media reports that the Mpumalanga government hired about 1 200 crime prevention wardens in 2024 to help police fight crime, who were supposed to patrol areas, help with searches and support police at different stations.
According to the reports, many of the wardens were removed from police stations soon after starting work and told to stay at home while continuing to receive monthly payments despite not performing regular duties, amounting to nearly R53m spent over about 11 months.
Some wardens reportedly said they asked to be given work again but were not properly deployed.
The government disputes the way the R53m is being described, stating the amount relates to the overall two-year programme budget rather than money paid to individuals for sitting at home.
