DA says it won't disband Amapanyaza should it run the Gauteng provincial office
The opposition party said it supports the idea of a Provincial Crime Fighting Unit, adding that candidates should be properly trained.
The Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens informally known as Amapanyaza is made up of about 6000 formerly unemployed people. Picture: @amapanyaza/X.
JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng said it won't disband Amapanyaza if it leads the provincial office, however, some people may lose their jobs if they don't meet the standard.
The opposition party said it supports the idea of a Provincial Crime Fighting Unit, adding that candidates should be properly trained.
On Thursday, DA Gauteng leader and premier candidate Solly Msimanga delivered what he termed the "true state of the province address" at the Johannesburg Country Club.
The event is a precursor to the official State of the Province address set to be delivered by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi next Monday.
READ: Gauteng a shell of its former self, says DA
The Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens - informally known as Amapanyaza - comprise about 6,000 formerly unemployed people.
Msimanga said he would not just throw all of them to the curb if he became the premier.
He added that he wants to create a provincial police unit that will have properly trained, vetted and equipped wardens.
“What we do with them, we need to recruit within them within the CPF [Community Policing Forum] because in certain instances there have been outcries the recruitment processes have not been completely fair,” said Msimanga.
Msimanga said the current state of the Nasi Ispani programme - which Amapanyaza falls under - is not financially sustainable.