The Gauteng Provincial Government has firmly rejected allegations questioning the legality of the Gauteng Traffic Wardens (GTWs), following recent claims from KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during a Parliamentary inquiry into police corruption.
Amid heightened scrutiny, officials have taken to clarifying the role and legal standing of these essential community safety officers.
In an official statement, the provincial government articulated its resolve, emphasising that it would not engage in a legal battle over sweeping statements. Instead, it underscored that the establishment of the Traffic Wardens was fully compliant with existing laws.
It is revealed that key to this legitimacy is the designation by Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, who in December 2023 recognised these officers as Peace Officers under Section 334 of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1977. This designation grants the Traffic Wardens powers equivalent to those of traditional traffic officers.
“The Traffic Wardens are a legitimate, legally designated unit, established out of necessity and in the spirit of cooperative governance,” stated the provincial government.
The programme, they noted, was designed to complement the South African Police Service (SAPS) in addressing critical public safety challenges, particularly in light of the alarming police-to-citizen ratio in Gauteng, which stands at one officer for every 541 residents in a province of over 16 million people.
Itis also explained that the Traffic Wardens initiative was borne out of a pressing need for enhanced public safety measures. The provincial government adopted a cooperative policing model, drawing parallels to successful initiatives in other regions, such as the Western Cape’s Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP), as well as various Metropolitan Police Departments. This model allows for focused efforts on crime prevention and visible policing, particularly in vulnerable areas such as Townships, Informal Settlements, and Hostels (TISH), where the wardens play a pivotal role in strengthening community safety and enhancing response times.
Officials warned that branding the wardens as “illegal” constitutes a gross misrepresentation of facts and undermines the constitutional duty of the province to safeguard its citizens. “Labelling these officers as illegal misrepresents the facts about their formation and function,” the government stressed.
The Gauteng Provincial Government reinforced its dedication to structured cooperation with national police authorities, asserting that the impressive outcomes achieved by the Traffic Wardens under SAPS supervision demonstrate the viability of enhancing policing efforts without undermining traditional law enforcement.
“We are committed to ensuring that these officers can continue to make a lawful and effective contribution to public safety,” the statement read.
Saturday Star