Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi Amapanyaza
By Thabo Mosia
Johannesburg – Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi faces fresh backlash after the Public Protector found the setup, appointment, and rollout of the province’s crime prevention wardens – known as AmaPanyaza – to be unlawful and irregular. In a report released on Wednesday, 22 October 2025, Public Protector Adv Kholeka Gcaleka slammed the Gauteng Department of Community Safety for going ahead without proper legal backing, calling it a breach of the Constitution and other laws. The findings come as Lesufi announced plans to retrain and repurpose the wardens as traffic officers, admitting the need for changes to fix ongoing issues. This ruling could force major fixes within 30 to 180 days, putting Lesufi’s flagship anti-crime project under the spotlight and raising questions about how millions in taxpayer money were spent.
The AmaPanyaza programme, launched in 2023 to boost visible policing in Gauteng’s crime hotspots, has been dogged by controversy from the start. Critics say it was rushed without clear rules, leading to confusion over the wardens’ powers and reports of overreach. With over 6 000 wardens deployed, the initiative aimed to tackle everything from drug dealing to stolen vehicles, but the Public Protector’s probe – sparked by a 2023 complaint – has now labeled it as improper administration. Lesufi, however, stands firm, saying the shift to traffic roles will make them more effective while keeping jobs safe.
Public Protector’s Key Findings: No Legal Ground for Current Setup
The report pulls no punches, stating that the Department of Community Safety acted outside the law by creating the wardens without a solid framework. It points to sections of the Constitution, like 41(1)(h) on cooperative governance, and the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), saying the wardens could not legally perform policing duties without being properly appointed as peace officers or traffic wardens.
The investigation revealed that the programme started without supporting legislation, leading to irregular spending and deployment. “The conduct of the functionaries of the Gauteng Department of Community Safety irregularly established, appointed and subsequently deployed Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens without empowering legal framework to perform policing powers is substantiated,” the report says. It calls this maladministration under section 182(1)(a) of the Constitution and section 6(4)(a)(i) of the Public Protector Act, 1994.
The probe began after a complaint alleging the wardens were untrained and unlawfully arresting people. Evidence showed the first batch started training in February 2023 and deployed in May 2023, but without full legal powers. The report notes attempts to fix this, like an application in June 2023 to designate them as peace officers, but says this came too late and did not cover their early actions.
Remedial actions include:
• The Premier must ensure wardens are appointed as traffic wardens under the National Road Traffic Act, 1996, within 180 days, in line with option three of a Technical Committee report.
• The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development must take steps within 30 days to support this, using section 334(1)(a) of the CPA.
• The Minister of Police must assist in 30 days to keep wardens within legal bounds.
• The National Commissioner of SAPS must certify trained wardens within 180 days after conditions are met.
The Public Protector stressed that all spheres of government must respect each other’s roles and not overstep, as per the Constitution.
Lesufi’s Response: Retraining and Repurposing Wardens
On the same day as the report’s release, Lesufi held a media briefing to update on the wardens’ future. He said the programme is being reconfigured to integrate them into formal law enforcement, addressing the very issues raised by the Public Protector. Over 18 to 36 months, wardens will get intensive training at the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) in areas like criminal law, evidence handling, ethics, and firearm use.
Lesufi explained the move is part of a bigger push for cooperative policing, drawing from post-1994 strategies like the National Crime Prevention Strategy (1996) and Vision 2030. “The wardens will cease to exist in their current form. They will be repurposed and integrated in the Gauteng Traffic Police and Special Law Enforcement Unit, among others,” he said. Those who do not qualify will shift to municipalities for bylaw enforcement or government security roles after more training.
He defended the original setup as a bold step against crime, noting Gauteng’s economy draws criminal networks that overwhelm traditional policing. Lesufi highlighted past support to SAPS, like 3 helicopters, 700 vehicles, and 12,000 CCTV cameras, but said wardens filled gaps where police ratios fall short of UN standards (1 officer per 250 residents vs. Gauteng’s 1 per 358).
Political and Public Backlash: Calls for Accountability
The ruling has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The Democratic Alliance (DA) called it a “damning indictment” of Lesufi’s leadership, saying the programme wasted over R1.2 billion on untrained wardens who caused chaos. DA MPL Mbali Ntuli urged a full audit of spending and said Lesufi should face consequences for ignoring early warnings.
ActionSA echoed this, accusing Lesufi of using the wardens as an election gimmick. Leader Herman Mashaba said: “This confirms what we’ve said all along – AmaPanyaza was unlawful and a drain on resources.” The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) slammed it as proof of ANC mismanagement, calling for Lesufi’s resignation.
Public reactions on social media are mixed. Some praise the wardens for visible patrols, while others share stories of overreach, like unlawful arrests. Crime activist Yusuf Abramjee called it a “rushed, costly mistake ignoring the law”, estimating millions wasted.
Unions like the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) welcomed the retraining but urged talks to avoid job losses. They stressed fair processes for the over 6,000 wardens, many from poor backgrounds.
Lesufi Condemns Assault on Amapanyaza