Gauteng’s controversial Crime Prevention Wardens, popularly known as AmaPanyaza, are at a critical crossroads. Despite the provincial government having spent well over R150 million on the initiative, the program remains in legal limbo, with the Public Protector having found its establishment was irregular.
Now, the Gauteng legislature’s portfolio committee on community safety has entered the fray, calling for the wardens not to be disbanded but to be “repurposed” to fit within the framework of the law.
A Program Built on an “Irregular” Foundation
The core issue, as outlined in Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka’s report, is that Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi had “no legal basis” to recruit, train, or deploy the wardens for police duties. The investigation was triggered by a complaint from Advocate Paul Hoffman of the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa, who accused Lesufi of operating outside the rule of law.
The Public Protector has given the Premier 180 days to regularize the situation. Her recommended solution is to reclassify the AmaPanyaza as traffic wardens in compliance with the National Road Traffic Act, a proposal that Premier Lesufi has reportedly concurred with.
The Multi-Million Rand Question
The debate over the wardens’ future is set against a backdrop of significant financial investment. According to official documents, the province has allocated vast sums to the project, including:
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R78 million for vehicles in the 2023/24 financial year.
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R32 million paid in advance to the SANDF for training.
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R17.1 million spent on uniforms.
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R23.2 million allocated for ongoing training.
This substantial expenditure adds pressure to find a solution that doesn’t render the entire investment a waste.
“Don’t Disband, Repurpose”
Amid this uncertainty, the chairperson of the legislature’s community safety committee, Dr. Bandile Masuku, has advocated for a pragmatic approach. He agrees that the wardens’ legal status is a problem but argues that their impact should not be dismissed.
“We don’t actually welcome their disbandment. We actually say they must be repurposed in a manner that will strengthen community policing,” Masuku stated. He praised the wardens for adding to law enforcement visibility and aiding in intelligence gathering, suggesting the model could be adapted for use in other provinces.
The future of the AmaPanyaza now hinges on the Gauteng government’s next move. Will it successfully navigate the complex legal landscape to repurpose the wardens, or will the multi-million-rand initiative be deemed an expensive misstep? For now, the wardens remain in a state of unresolved potential, their fate a symbol of the tension between urgent crime-fighting action and the strictures of constitutional law.
{Source: IOL}
