Crime Wardens: Lesufi’s private army puts themselves and residents at risk and must be disbanded

13 December 2023

When we take over after next year’s elections, ActionSA will immediately pull crime prevention wards off the street and put those that qualify through proper police training.

The announcement by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, to grant Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi’s Crime Prevention Wardens peace officer status is another desperate attempt by the ANC to ensure that these wardens are recognised through Section 334(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedures Act, 1977, which would justify their presence within our communities despite their incompetence.

This is not only reckless but also a complete disregard for the safety of not only the wardens but also the residents of Gauteng, as inadequately trained individuals have been unlawfully authorised to protect communities.

An accumulation of evidence has all pointed to the entire programme being an electioneering tool used by the Premier and ruling government to secure votes ahead of the upcoming elections.

It was reported just last week that 22 brand new BMWs had been crashed by the wardens since May, a month after the scheme's inception, and furthermore, SAPS Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Elias Mawela, has recently declared that the wardens had no prerogative to fulfil tasks assigned to the police.

We have already written to the SIU to investigate this scheme. We strongly believe that by establishing and running this illegal scheme, the Premier of Gauteng committed serious malpractice or maladministration in connection with the administration of state institutions, state assets, and public money.

The severe resource constraints and overpoliticization of our police service have significantly hindered our law enforcement agencies’ ability to proactively prevent and respond to crime. ActionSA will depoliticize policing in Gauteng. We will rebuild our policing capacity because it’s essential to ensuring that it is criminals who live in fear, not law-abiding citizens.

Issued by Funzi Ngobeni, ActionSA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson, 13 December 2023