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File image | Crime Prevention Wardens attending an event.
The Gauteng government has announced a move to regularise the status of its Crime Prevention Wardens, popularly known as AmaPanyaza.
This follows Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka’s findings that the unit was irregular. The Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Mamoloko Kubayi had officiated at the ceremony to establish the new Peace Officers unit in February 2023.
She said the new declaration to regularise their role gave them limited legal powers to support law enforcement operations across the province.
Gauteng government spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga says, “This was the process that was consulted on, lawyers in government were consulted and the process was followed- and everything that was done, was done according to the book, in response to what the public protector said must happen. In law, you have to declare them as peace officers, so that they become traffic wardens. There’s nothing that is changing, all that we’ve done is to regularise them, as per the instruction of the public protector- that there was no legal framework covering the establishment of the traffic wardens- that has now been found in law to establish them.”
PODCAST| Guarded optimism after Gauteng crime wardens are officially declared peace officers:
