‘AmaPanyaza are legit!’ – Gauteng fires back at Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi

gauteng

Cape Town – Gauteng’s provincial government has dismissed claims by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that the province’s crime-prevention wardens, known as “AmaPanyaza,” are operating unlawfully.

The government insists the unit was established in full compliance with the law and in accordance with the principles of cooperative governance.

Addressing Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on Tuesday, Mkhwanazi said he had raised concerns about the wardens when the matter was first brought before the SAPS Board of Commissioners (BOC).

“When the premier of Gauteng (Lesufi), with good intentions to fight crime in the province of Gauteng, started a unit that by law should not exist … I raised that at the BOC and I said this is illegal,” he said.

He added that although SAPS Legal Services later agreed with his assessment, “they continued with the training … the unit … could not be incorporated into the Police Act. They are still there in Gauteng … legally they are not supposed to be there.”

The Gauteng government issued a strongly worded response in a media statement. Spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said: “The provincial government has no intention of litigating sweeping statements. However, it rejects the assertion that the formation of the traffic wardens showed contempt for the rule of law and categorically dismisses the allegation that the Gauteng Traffic Wardens are an illegal entity.”

Mhlanga pointed out that the wardens were formally designated by then-Justice Minister Ronald Lamola in December 2023.

“This legal designation granted them the same legal status as Gauteng traffic officers,” he said.

“The Gauteng Traffic Wardens initiative was always grounded in the principles of the South African Constitution, which mandates cooperative governance and requires all spheres of government … to cooperate with one another in mutual trust and good faith.”

Mhlanga insisted the unit was designed not to usurp SAPS but to augment policing in areas that suffer from weak police presence.

“The Traffic Wardens were created to support the South African Police Service (SAPS), not replace it, especially in areas with limited police presence,” he said, referring to Gauteng’s population and police-to-citizen ratio.

He added that the wardens “focus on townships, informal settlements, and hostels, providing visible policing, faster response times, and localised crime prevention initiatives.”

“The Traffic Wardens are a legitimate and lawfully designated crime prevention unit. They were established out of necessity and in the spirit of cooperative governance. The initiative was created to support and assist the national police, not to replace them or interfere with their authority

“In a population of about 16 million, there is only one officer for every 541 residents. This highlighted the need for a supplementary crime prevention unit,” the statement continued.

“The province explored a cooperative policing model already used successfully in other parts of the country. The wardens operate legally under SAPS authority and supervision, providing visible policing and improving response times in townships, informal settlements, and hostels,” it added.

Gauteng’s Department of Community Safety also stated: “Gauteng Traffic Wardens are a legitimate and lawful crime prevention unit.”

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