Johannesburg – The Gauteng provincial government has spent more than R459 million over four years on the controversial Amapanyaza crime-prevention wardens programme, which has since been discontinued after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi told Parliament it was illegal.
In a reply to the DA in the Gauteng Legislature, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the money was spent on training, accommodation, travel and subsistence costs, The Citizen reported.
Expenditure peaked at R224 million in the 2023/24 financial year, contributing to the programme’s total cost of nearly half a billion rand.
Lesufi spent R459 million on Amapanyaza yet Gauteng has 27 kidnappings per day.
Michael Sun MPL calls for stronger management and measurable results.
Residents need real safety not costly political projects.#DAatWork #RescueSA #DA_GPL #FixGautengCrime @MichaelSun168 @lesufi… pic.twitter.com/rRovxi4gQQ— Democratic Alliance Gauteng Legislature (@DA_GPL) May 28, 2026
Lesufi also revealed that 5,900 of Gauteng’s 8,752 traffic wardens were enrolled in the peace officer training programme. Some former Amapanyaza wardens have since been retrained as peace wardens.
The DA criticised the spending, questioning whether it represented value for money given that crime remains high in Gauteng. The party argued that training a SAPS reservist costs significantly less and raised concerns about the sharp increase in spending between 2022/23 and 2023/24.
According to Lesufi, the wardens received training from accredited institutions, including the Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metro police departments, as well as the Mangaung Traffic College.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
