IT’S undeniable that South Africa is the biggest loser when it comes to fighting crime. This an issue that has proven to be almost impossible to mitigate due to fewer resources and corruption.
Last year, South Africa ranked first on the crime index among African countries, with a score of 75.4 index points, and Pretoria ranking first among African cities, with a rating of roughly 82 index points.
The Gauteng Department of Community Safety (GDCS) has directed its efforts towards strengthening its fight against crime, corruption, vandalism and lawlessness.
Since the beginning of this month, 4 000 crime-prevention wardens were deployed to patrol the streets of the province.
Independent crime analyst, Johan Burger said the recruitment of new crime fighters demonstrates a belief that the SAPS is no longer capable of controlling the crime situation, “let alone reducing our crime levels and keeping us safe”.
However, he sees the recruitment of crime fighters as a good move to help stop and/or reduce crime.
“In the face of serious and rising crime levels and given the apparent inability of existing police agencies to control and eventually reduce crime, there is a clear need to initiate alternative methods to counter the crime wave. The recruitment of Gauteng's crime-prevention wardens is a visible example and something that promises to be expanded to other provinces and municipalities.
“In 2020, the Western Cape already started with their own form of 'crime fighters' when they established the Law Enforcement Enhancement Programme (Leap). This programme is showing clear signs of making an impact, in particular as far as murder in high crime areas are concerned”, he said.
Burger said that It was too early to judge the Gauteng crime-prevention wardens, but he raised some concerns about the process of establishing and deploying them. It does appear to have been a little over-hasty, he said.
“The fact that they have been trained for only six months is deeply worrying if one considers the myriad responsibilities apparently allocated to them and the legal requirements to execute those powers and responsibilities. From what we have seen, there was a lot of emphasis placed on the semi-militaristic side of their training but we have not seen what sort of effort went into the execution of their powers and functions.
“We know that they will be issued with firearms, but it is surprising that they are being deployed before this important part of their training was concluded. We also know that the declared intention is to send these wardens to high-crime areas and we assume that this will either not happen until they have been declared competent to be issued with firearms or that they will be deployed along with SAPS and/or the Metro Police who are armed as a temporary arrangement.
“And then of course, in spite of public statements about their role, we are still waiting to see the Government Notice declaring them as peace officers and that will inform us about what precisely their role, powers and functions will be. This is crucial since it is important to understand that the wardens are not an alternative police institution. Unlike the SAPS and the Metro Police, they are appointed in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1977, as amended over the years, and not the South African Police Service Act of 1995,” he said.
Gauteng Department of Community Safety spokesperson Hlulani Mashaba said: “The crime-prevention wardens have hit the ground running with several successful arrests made within their first week of deployment, for cases ranging from illegal possession of firearms, drug dealing and driving under the influence of alcohol among others.
She said that the crime-prevention wardenss will not replace the SAPS but will augment the work of the existing law enforcement officers, including the Metro Police. “They will ensure visible policing and introduce ward-based policing in densely populated areas. The wardens are deployed in Townships, Informal Settlements and Hostels (TISH) areas.
According to Mashaba, the distinguishing between the crime-prevention wardens and the police is that “the wardens will work closely with communities to develop community intelligence gathering which will assist in rooting out criminal elements in Gauteng. Part of their duties is to provide localised policing services to communities. They will initially focus on 361 wards in the TISH areas (Informal Settlements and Hostels Program) and later expand across Gauteng”.
She said that the wardens would also ensure that schools are safe and conducive for learning and teaching.
“The wardens play a vital role in strengthening partnerships with community policing forums. They will ensure effective and timeous response to criminal elements including robberies, illegal land invasions, car hijackings and Gender-based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
“The crime-prevention wardens are assigned various responsibilities including but not limited to: “ensuring police visibility at ward level; ensuring timeous response to reported crime incidents; engaging community structures and other sources to provide “early warning”; Community Intelligence gathering; tackling “lawlessness” through a heightened enforcement operations; prevent incidents of illegal occupation of land and this extends to damage to state infrastructure while land invasion challenges will be tackled in collaboration with the Department of Department of Infrastructure Development and Human Settlement; work closely with Community Patrollers to enhance police visibility and working with schools to provide necessary support and response”.
During a media briefing on the state of readiness on the pass-out parade for the crime-prevention wardens, the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko stated that R450 million has been spent on the recruitment process including the purchasing of high-patrol vehicles, uniforms and other tools of trade for the wardens.
“The Department reassures citizens that the wardens have undergone intensive training in that they can perform their duties effectively and efficiently under the supervision of members of law enforcement. It is also important to note that training programme for the wardens is ongoing.
“The crime-prevention wardens will be recognised as Peace Officers in accordance with section 334 of the Criminal Procedure Act (Act No 51 of 1977).
“Gauteng residents are encouraged to work hand in hand with the crime-prevention wardens by providing them with the necessary information and support to alleviate crime in communities. It is important for law enforcement officers to build relations and trust within communities through continuous engagements and public safety awareness programmes”, she said.
However, a Community Policing Activist Ian Cameron said the campaign was rushed. ‘They launched this too quickly. It is physically impossible to train a competent crime fighter in 10 weeks.
“It was funny to watch the explanation of the training because we could see those people cannot run over 100 metres without passing out. There is no way that they can survive on the streets”
Cameron said that the deployment of crime fighters paints the SAPS as incompetent. “I think its a mistake on the ANC’s behalf because its an admission by Lesufi that the SAPS does not function the way that it should.
“I don't think we need these crime fighters. I would have welcomed that the money and the capacity rather be used to negotiate to get more detectives and police investigative powers. If they did that then we would be lessening the burden in courts and on detectives on local police stations.
Cameron further said that the recruitment was a failure and he said that it was done as a political social.
“I am actually in Alex, and from what we have heard, these crime fighters just assault people, post photos of the alleged suspects. This is not just jeopardising the investigation of crime cases, but it is a violation of basic rights”, he said.