Dada Morero reprimands cops for sitting in their cars instead of doing their jobs

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has called on the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) to take action against officers who sit in their vehicles instead of carrying out their law-enforcement duties.

Morero criticised the conduct of officers, saying it undermines efforts to restore law and order across the city.

“The behaviour of officers sitting in their cars instead of doing their jobs must come to an end,” Morero said.

He said JMPD management needed to take greater responsibility for ensuring officers were visible and actively enforcing the law.

“JMPD management need to get their act together. Johannesburg should work for its residents,” he said.

Morero said the city could not reclaim public spaces and improve safety if law-enforcement vehicles were simply parked while little or no enforcement was taking place.

“We can't reclaim the city when vehicles are just parked all over the place and law enforcement is not taking place,” he said.

The mayor's comments come amid ongoing efforts by the City of Johannesburg to improve law enforcement, tackle by-law contraventions and restore order in public spaces.

His remarks place renewed pressure on JMPD management to ensure officers are deployed effectively and are actively performing their duties on the streets of Johannesburg.