While Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Minister of Police Bheki Cele’s territory marking about the illegal “AmaPanya Greenbeans” (Gauteng’s crime prevention wardens) is heating up, criminals are still having the time of their lives in South Africa.
“To our minds, this is nothing more than pot and kettle calling between two equally incompetent “leaders” in the government,” says Ian Cameron, Action Society Director of Community Safety. “As we have said in the past, the crime prevention wardens initiative was nothing more than an expensive publicity stunt on top of it being illegal and putting the new recruits as well as the public’s safety at risk. On the other hand, Cele has no idea how to rid the country of crime but now wastes time trying to divert the issue by playing his usual cat and mouse games.”
More than six months after introducing the wardens to the streets, Gauteng residents have seen little to no success. They are still poorly trained and not yet registered as peace wardens. Action Society warned Lesufi that the initiative would fail, and it did.
It is time for people in leadership positions to put the safety of citizens and the country’s well-being before political ousting games.
Image: Scrolla.Africa
