MBOMBELA, Mpumalanga — The Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding immediate accountability from Premier Mandla Ndlovu regarding the R52.8 million allegedly wasted on inactive Mpumalanga Crime Prevention Warders. The opposition party has formally called on the provincial government to take decisive action against the Department of Community Safety over what it describes as fruitless and wasteful expenditure involving 1,200 idle warders.
The program, initially launched to curb youth unemployment, placed 1,200 recruits across 90 police stations. However, deployments were abruptly halted after the Public Protector declared the initiative illegal due to the absence of a supporting legal prescript. A DA spokesperson confirmed that the party had been vocal against the program from its inception, warning that it lacked the necessary legal framework to succeed.
Despite assurances from the provincial government that the Crime Prevention Warders would be converted into traffic wardens or Gender-Based Violence (GBV) brigades, the recruits remain in professional limbo. Frustrated warders report that they have not received new contracts or completion certificates. Instead of a full salary befitting permanent traffic wardens, they continue to receive a basic stipend under the original Crime Prevention Warder (CPW) contract. This has left many sitting at home, unable to gain valuable work experience while the program stalls.
The DA highlighted that the provincial government has spent over R52.8 million on the faltering initiative. Furthermore, more than R3 million was allocated to a SETA-accredited training service provider to deliver minimal basic security training, rather than the comprehensive law enforcement training required for the recruits’ purported new roles in traffic management or GBV prevention.
In response to the growing controversy, the Department of Community Safety claimed that some recruits are indeed working in administrative offices. However, the department acknowledged a lack of awareness regarding those currently sitting at home, attributing the oversight to potential monitoring failures on their part.
The situation remains urgent, as the warders’ 24-month contracts are scheduled to expire at the end of November. With no clear resolution in sight, the DA continues to pressure Premier Mandla Ndlovu to address the mismanagement and provide clarity on the future of the 1,200 employees and the millions of rands spent on the failed program.