Lerato Mbhiza
Gauteng’s controversial Crime Prevention Wardens popularly known as AmaPanyaza, have been granted the status of peace officer, meaning they will have the power of arrest and can carry a firearm.
The Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services issued a short statement on Tuesday announcing its decision on an application by the Gauteng provincial government to grant the wardens formal legal powers as peace officers under the Criminal Procedure Act.
“After conducting a thorough analysis of the applicable legal frameworks, it was determined that for the Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens to exercise peace officer powers, they must assume the same legal status as Gauteng provincial traffic officers.
“Provincial traffic officers currently carry out their duties within the ambit of their peace officer designation, supported by the necessary legal framework.”
Earlier this year, the Gauteng government trained about 6,000 formerly unemployed young people to become wardens to assist police with the rising crime in the province.
Their short training – about three months long, drew criticism from policing experts. Recent reports said the wardens were responsible for crashing 22 brand new BMWs, three were written off while 11 were sent for repairs.
Department of Justice spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said the minister’s decision to change the legal status of the wardens came after consultation with the government’s security cluster.
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