Mpumalanga crime wardens: How to apply, duties and expected salary

Following in the footsteps of Gauteng’s amaPanyaza initiative, Mpumalanga’s new Safety and Security MEC, Jackie Macie, announced on 6 July that the province will be bolstering its crime-fighting efforts with its own cohort of crime prevention wardens (CPWs).

The Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison (DCSSL) will recruit 1,200 crime prevention wardens to confront “the scourge of crime from all angles”.

The new MEC’s plan is based on Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s controversial 2023 crime prevention warden initiative to curb crime.

Mpumalanga crime prevention wardens: What to know

The wardens will be based in all 90 police stations in Mpumalanga.

“The police alone will not win this war. Hence, the wardens will work with all relevant role players to improve the safety of our communities,” the MEC said at a media briefing earlier this month.

According to Macie, they will work hand in hand with the Community Policing Forums (CPFs).

He added that DCSSL will also deal with the issue of compensation for CPF members in the near future.

Who can apply to become a Mpumalanga CPW?

The requirements for applicants include:

• Be between 18 and 35 years old;
• Be physically fit;
• Unemployed;
• Have no criminal record; and
• Be willing to go for both physical and theoretical training (hence minimum requirement is grade 10 to 12 ).

Experience in working in crime prevention environments and a valid driving licence will be an added advantage.

 Applicants must apply for posts in areas where they reside.

Duties of crime prevention wardens

The crime prevention wardens will work under the supervision of the South African Police Service (Saps).

Some of the duties performed by the CPWs will include:

• Patrolling crime hotspots;
• Do search-and-seizure operations at schools with the assistance of police officers;
• Assist with stop-and-search operations; and
• Assist with identifying any other criminal or suspicious activities in communities.

Expected salary

The department has not specified a salary range, but according to a recent article published by Daily Maverick, Gauteng crime prevention wardens have signed new contracts for a monthly salary of R7,450.75 after the elections.

Wardens will receive a stipend in line with the Public Employment Programme (PEP).

How to apply

Application forms can be found here. Submit necessary documents, such as your CV, ID copy and educational certificates, as specified in the application form.

Visit the respective links for the regions you are interested in:

• Ehlanzeni Region Application
• Bohlabela Region Application
• Nkangala Region Application
• Gert Sibande Region Application

Applications close on Friday, 19 July at 4.15 pm. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessments and interviews.

Expected training

In May 2023, Gauteng deployed an initial 3 200 out of 6 000 wardens across the province following three months’ training at the SA Army Engineer Formation base at Dunnottar on Gauteng’s Far East Rand and 3 SA Infantry (SAI) Battalion, the specialist Infantry Formation training unit in Kimberley.

Defence Web reported that during their eight-week stints, the recruits were put through a revised version of basic military training (BMT) with an emphasis on discipline mainly by way of parade ground drills.

Other training included firearm use, radio procedure, crowd control and first aid, as well as search and rescue.

Further training continues for additional wardens.