JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to provide clarity regarding serious allegations that the province’s crime prevention warden unit, known as AmaPanyaza, operates illegally and outside the framework of the South African Police Service Act.
The legitimacy of the unit has come under renewed scrutiny following testimony by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who informed Parliament’s ad hoc committee that AmaPanyaza defies the rule of law. He made these remarks while addressing allegations of misconduct among senior police officials. Mkhwanazi said that though the initiative may have been well intentioned, it appears to lack legal grounding.
In response, the DA in Gauteng, led by Solly Msimanga, said that opposition parties had raised doubts about the unit from the start. Msimanga reiterated concerns over its legal basis, training, funding and the potential risks to public safety.
Premier Lesufi, however, has denied any wrongdoing. He dismissed the allegations as already resolved, saying that they reflect a misunderstanding of the unit’s status. According to Lesufi, a press release issued by the Minister of Justice recognized the wardens as peace officers, and that matter was dealt with weeks ago. “I still want to understand how this matter came up … the minister of justice issued a press release recognising the wardens as peace officers … that was almost two weeks ago,” Lesufi said.
However, critics argue that the designation as peace officers under the Criminal Procedure Act does not necessarily resolve the alleged conflict with the SAPS Act or the absence of incorporation within national policing legislation.
The Gauteng government insists that AmaPanyaza is constitutional. It says the unit complements national policing rather than replacing it, and that its members have been lawfully designated to carry out limited enforcement roles as peace officer
