Mpumalanga government denies misleading claims over R52m Crime Prevention Wardens programme Writing

The Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison (DCSSL) has rejected information circulating on social media and other media platforms about the utilisation and cost of the province’s Crime Prevention Wardens (CPWs).

The department said the information contained incorrect figures and was intended to portray the provincial government and its executive negatively.

According to the DCSSL, the process of converting CPWs into Traffic Wardens and Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Brigades has been completed.

The CPWs were appointed on two-year contracts that started on 1 December 2024. Following their appointment, they received crime prevention training from a PSiRA-accredited service provider at a cost of about R3.2 million.

The wardens were initially deployed at 90 police stations across Mpumalanga. However, the department said they were later informed that they would be converted into Traffic Wardens because of challenges around their deployment at police stations, including the absence of legislation fully supporting their deployment in that environment.

As part of the conversion process, the wardens underwent training at the Mpumalanga Traffic Training College and are now assisting with traffic-related and road safety initiatives.

Some wardens were also converted into GBVF Brigades and trained to help combat gender-based violence and femicide in communities, working with various stakeholders.

The department said the figure being circulated as the cost of the programme was misleading.

It said the programme has an allocation of R52 million over a two-year period and is due to expire on 30 November 2026.

The department said the programme is currently being assessed to determine its future.

“The Department remains committed to ensuring that value for money is derived from this programme,” it said.

The DCSSL urged communities to remain vigilant against information it described as misleading.