Dada Morero Vs Panyaza Lesufi
By Thabo Mosia
Johannesburg – Gauteng Premier and ANC Provincial Chairperson Panyaza Lesufi has rejected a controversial proposal from Johannesburg Mayor and ANC Johannesburg Regional Chairperson Dada Morero, which suggested the recruitment of properly documented foreign nationals into the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD). The proposal, aimed at addressing language barriers in law enforcement, has sparked widespread debate and criticism from political parties, civic organisations, and the public.
Lesufi made his stance clear on social media platform X, stating that the proposal was not aligned with the values and objectives of the ANC’s crime prevention strategies. “We don’t agree with this proposal. We held discussions with our Regional Chairperson and Executive Mayor @CdeDada who advised us that the ANC Johannesburg Lekgotla rejected his proposal, and he fully accepts the decision not to entertain this proposal further. We remain committed to ensuring that our law enforcement agencies are appropriately trained to tackle challenges created by crime. Our sincerest apologies for the confusion and pain caused by this proposal,” Lesufi stated.
The proposal had been put forward by Mayor Morero during an ANC gathering, where he argued that recruiting foreign nationals could be an effective measure to overcome language barriers that hinder law enforcement in areas with high populations of foreign nationals. However, this suggestion was met with swift rejection from both the ANC leadership and opposition parties.
Political Reactions
ActionSA’s Firm Stance
In response to the proposal, ActionSA, led by its CoJ Caucus Leader Nobuhle Mthembu, issued a strongly worded statement rejecting the idea outright. The statement read, “ActionSA has noted with grave concern the recent remarks made by the Joburg ANC Chairperson and Mayor of Johannesburg, Dada Morero, suggesting that documented foreign nationals should be enlisted as JMPD officers to bridge existing language barriers.”
ActionSA’s statement went on to clarify that the party sees the proposal as not only ill-conceived but also as an affront to South African citizens, particularly those who have been neglected in the police reservist ranks and are eager to serve their country. “It is without question that this proposal is an insult to the thousands of South Africans who still aspire to wear the uniform, particularly the thousands of neglected police reservists who are ready to step up.”
The statement further emphasized that ActionSA would oppose the proposal should it ever be brought before the City Council, noting that the very requirements to serve in the JMPD stipulate that an applicant must be a South African citizen. “Therefore, this idea is a dead end,” the statement concluded.
ActionSA also pointed out that other avenues should be explored to address language barriers without resorting to the extreme measure of hiring foreign nationals in law enforcement. The party reiterated its commitment to prioritizing the interests of South African residents over “any ill-conceived and underdeveloped ideas.”
EFF Gauteng’s Opposition
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Gauteng also released a statement opposing Morero’s sentiments. The party’s stance aligns with ActionSA’s in rejecting the proposal to enlist foreign nationals as JMPD officers. The EFF’s statement criticized Morero’s remarks as not only misinformed but also indicative of a lack of political and governance insight, especially from an Executive Mayor.
The EFF Gauteng statement read, “The Mayor made these statements at an ANC gathering, suggesting that the police force is unable to effectively serve communities with large numbers of foreign nationals, such as Hillbrow, Berea, and Yeoville, due to language barriers.”
The EFF argued that the government should instead focus on enhancing the police force’s intelligence, language skills, and cultural understanding. The party emphasized the need for investment in training officers and equipping them with the linguistic tools necessary to better engage with the communities they serve.
“There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that the JMPD and SAPS are failing to address crime in areas with high numbers of foreign nationals due to language barriers. Furthermore, there is no evidence that recruiting documented foreign nationals will resolve this purported issue,” the statement continued.
The EFF also criticized the notion of using foreign nationals in the JMPD, pointing out that the government should instead focus on sourcing scarce and specialized skills from other African countries to contribute to the economy in areas where such skills are truly needed. The party highlighted that while policing is a valuable skill, it is not scarce, and there are numerous unemployed policing graduates in Gauteng who could be quickly upskilled and integrated into the force
Public Sentiment
The proposal and its subsequent rejection have also sparked significant discussion on social media platforms, particularly X. Many South Africans took to the platform to express their views, with some supporting Lesufi’s stance and others questioning the broader implications of the proposal.
One user commented, “Lesufi did the right thing by rejecting this proposal. We need to focus on empowering our own citizens to tackle crime, not bringing in foreigners for jobs that South Africans can do.”
Another user pointed out the potential risks, saying, “Bringing in foreign nationals into the JMPD could exacerbate tensions and mistrust in communities already struggling with xenophobia. This was a bad idea from the start.”
On the other hand, some users argued that the proposal highlighted the need for more innovative solutions to address crime in multilingual communities. “While I don’t agree with hiring foreign nationals, we do need to find better ways to communicate and engage with all residents, including those who don’t speak the dominant languages,” one user noted.
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