Directive LEAKED: AmaPanyaza cannot undertake police duties

To get the full story of why amaPanyaza cannot undertake police duties, we need to backtrack to earlier this year. Back in February 2023, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi created a newly minted force of roughly 6 000 ‘crime prevention wardens.’

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The unstoppable force was to provide boots on the ground at community level and cover up for an under-resourced South African Police Service (SAPS). Unfortunately, at the unveiling of the group that would soon become known as ‘amaPanyaza,’ it was clear this was not the unstoppable force the premier had hoped.

AMAPANYAZA CANNOT UNDERTAKE POLICE DUTIES

Quite why the crime wardens were so despised and ridiculed is a mystery to many. They received three months of training, no weapons, but were equipped with brand-new BMWs to patrol with. Lesufi has been campaigning hard to expand the crime warden’s remit, but with little success from SAPS top-brass.

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Now, however, Gauteng provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela has delivered a stern directive. It says that AmaPanyaza cannot undertake police duties at police stations, reports IOL.

DOING SAPS WORK

It turns out amaPanyaza have been certifying documents and performing duties of peace officers (which they are not) at police stations. In a document leaked on social media, a circular dated 22 November 2023, said the crime wardens were acting as Commissioner of Oaths at police stations.

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“Crime Prevention Wardens cannot authorise or certify documents as they are not Peace Officers and therefore lack the legal authority to do the same. Only SAPS members in the SC are allowed to authenticate documents or do the Attestation of the Commissioner of Oath,” confirmed Mawela in the circular.

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