amaPanyaza: Residents praise Lesufi’s crime-fighting wardens

Despite criticism of Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi’s new crime-prevention unit, barely a month later some communities have expressed their gratitude and satisfactions with “amaPanyaza” and their work.

Yesterday, the unit was using their recent training by assisting in controlling and managing the crowd at Uncle Tom’s Community Centre in Soweto during the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) 10th Anniversary Commemorative Walk.

Crime-fighting wardens

Speaking to residents in various parts of Soweto – Naledi, Dobsonville, Protea Glen and Orlando West – most agreed: the visibility of the wardens in green jumpsuits reduced the number of petty crimes in theses area.

The 79-year-old Hlengiwe Mbatha could not stop raving about the “good work” the unit has done in Orlando West.

“Despite this place being so busy, we are very happy to see them on the streets protecting us and the tourists as well,” Mbatha said.

“Crime makes it hard for businesses in our area to thrive. We often see young people lurking on street corners during holidays and it makes people feel uneasy.

“But even I can now take my walks in the area. Vendors are not as afraid any more.

“This place has mostly been safe but in these hard economic times, crime rates were slowly increasing.”

Crime prevention

Mbatha was not the only one impressed by the wardens’ work and visibility, as some residents and passersby in taxi’s and buses greeted them with a “hey Panyaza”.

A resident from Naledi, Pinky Bokaba, said the much-needed crime prevention intervention has “really made its mark in the area”.

“Obviously they can’t please everyone but they are definitely doing what they are supposed to do. Some of them have tried to abuse the little power they were given, but at most they are very helpful. And having our own kids as part of this initiative is a bonus.”

Bokaba said apart from the daily patrols, “we have seen them doing operations where they search kids on the streets for drugs, they raid and search spaza shops and even accompany kids home from school, to prevent fights”.

She, however, urged Lesufi to absorb some of these wardens in the SA Police Service (Saps) as soon as their contracts end.

“They have shown dedication, to put their lives at risk like this… they deserve to be recognised even further”.

In other joint operations with Saps and the Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), amaPanyaza have reportedly yielded positive results in places such as Jeppe, Marshalltown and even Centurion’s, Olievenhoutbosch.

The operations led to the recovery of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, as well as the discovery and clampdown of a large-scale illegal dagga plantation, police said.

The wardens also conducted a stop-and-search operation in Lenasia.

“The operation is aimed at ensuring safety on the roads and adherence to road regulations,” the Gauteng department of community safety said on Twitter.

The unit has also embarked on another recruitment drive in coloured and Indian communities “to assist with crime prevention wardens applications” in an aim to diversify the unit.