A political war of words has erupted between the Gauteng Provincial Government and the Democratic Alliance (DA) over the declaration of Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens, known as Amapanyaza, as Peace Officers — with accusations of opportunism, illegality and political grandstanding flying across the aisle.
The row follows a joint announcement by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development, the Ministry of Police and the Gauteng Provincial Government confirming that qualifying traffic wardens had been declared Peace Officers after what government described as a lawful, structured process.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, the Gauteng Provincial Government accused the DA of manufacturing a crisis and threatening legal action not out of principle, but political expediency.
“The DA has established itself as an architect of political instability, willing to misrepresent facts, weaponise oversight processes and attack institutions to fuel a self-serving political narrative,” the provincial government said.
It argued that the process now under attack was, in fact, implemented following recommendations from the Public Protector, and was specifically designed to address earlier legal ambiguities surrounding the wardens’ status.
“The DA’s so-called legal review is therefore a direct attack on the Public Protector’s office and the Government of National Unity they are part of,” the statement said.
According to the province, the declaration of wardens as Peace Officers resulted from collaboration between the ministries of justice and police, and the Gauteng government, and was supported by a phased training programme aimed at ensuring compliance with legislative requirements.
The DA, however, has rejected this characterisation, insisting the process raises serious legal and governance concerns.
In a statement issued by Gauteng DA leader and Leader of the Official Opposition Solly Msimanga MPL, the party confirmed it would seek a legal opinion on the declaration process, citing “mixed messages” from government about the readiness and qualifications of the wardens.
“To be designated as Peace Officers, individuals must complete the necessary training and meet specific qualifications,” Msimanga said. “Yet government claims more than 9,000 wardens will be declared Peace Officers while also admitting they are still undergoing a second phase of training.”
Msimanga said this contradiction warranted legal scrutiny, particularly given the Public Protector’s earlier findings that the establishment and deployment of the wardens were not underpinned by an appropriate legislative framework.
The DA has also demanded clarity on who provided the training, whether legal requirements were met, and how the programme is being funded, describing the Amapanyaza initiative as an unfunded mandate that has placed strain on other provincial departments.
“The DA will table questions to Premier Panyaza Lesufi to ascertain the source of funding for this initiative,” Msimanga said.
Gauteng’s government dismissed the DA’s concerns as political theatrics that undermine crime-fighting efforts at a time when provincial policing agencies are under pressure.
Over the past two months, the province said law enforcement resources have been stretched enforcing scholar transport safety, responding to mass shootings, clamping down on illicit goods and tackling illegal mining.
“These agencies require unwavering support, yet the DA is determined to undermine intergovernmental efforts aimed at providing it,” GPG said.
The province also took aim at the DA’s repeated references to the Western Cape as a policing benchmark, arguing that the province remains in the grip of a violent crime crisis.
National crime statistics, it said, consistently show the Western Cape has the highest murder rate per capita and accounts for four of the country’s top five police stations for contact crime.
Despite this, Gauteng said it supports the Western Cape government’s efforts to fight crime, warning that criminals do not respect provincial borders and that cooperation across provinces is essential.
The provincial government further claimed public support for the Amapanyaza programme, saying communities want wardens integrated into a stronger and lawful crime-prevention framework to improve safety in townships and urban centres.
“The DA’s phoney outrage and propaganda will not distract from the commitment to lawfully empower crime prevention personnel and ensure the safety of all who live, work and invest in Gauteng,” GPG said.
For the DA, however, the issue remains one of legality and governance.
“The DA-led Western Cape has shown that Peace Officers can be rolled out lawfully and efficiently,” Msimanga said. “This is the model we envisage for Gauteng residents — and it can be achieved under a DA-led Gauteng government.”
As legal opinions are sought and political tempers flare, the status and future role of Amapanyaza now sit at the centre of a broader battle over policing, power and public trust in Gauteng.
