Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has stood firm on his controversial decision to create the province’s AmaPanyaza peace wardens, insisting the move was not politically driven but a desperate attempt to address surging crime rates in communities.
“Our people are marked left, right and centre,” Lesufi said. “I’m honestly of the strong view that the policing strategies that we have as a province, they’re not only outdated, but criminals have advanced.”
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According to Lesufi, the provincial government has already channelled billions of rand into law enforcement infrastructure — including 8,000 CCTV cameras, drones, and helicopters — but the lack of sufficient manpower continues to hamper swift responses to crime scenes.
AmaPanyaza Created After Police Recruitment Blocked
Lesufi revealed that his initial plan to hire 10,000 additional police officers was rejected, which led to the formation of the AmaPanyaza as a “force multiplier” to support law enforcement.
“Unfortunately, South Africans are looking at the wardens alone, but let me tell you how it came,” he explained. “I went to the police and said, ‘You don’t have enough policemen or policewomen. You don’t. Actually, townships are unpoliced. The suburbs are better off.’”
He emphasised that the process to legalise the peace wardens began in collaboration with the Justice and Police Ministries, with 500 recruits officially recognised as peace officers before bureaucratic obstacles delayed the remainder of the rollout.
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The Public Protector later ruled that the wardens were “unlawfully and irregularly established,” but Lesufi insists this was due to administrative technicalities, not an attempt to sidestep the law.
Dismissing accusations that AmaPanyaza was created for political gain, the Premier said his only fault was acting too quickly in his determination to safeguard residents from crime, gender-based violence, and vehicle hijackings.
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“The only thing that I am guilty of is that I am impatient,” Lesufi said. “I am one person who does not want people who snore or sleep on the job. If I give myself a task, I go all out.”
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