The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Gauteng has rejected the proposed 36-month phase out of the Crime Prevention Wardens (CPW).

This follows Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s decision to disband the wardens programme.

Lesufi says the wardens will undergo a phased training to be designated the same legal standing as Gauteng Traffic Police.

The party says the establishment of the unit was a reckless, illegal, and politically motivated experiment that collapsed under corruption and incompetence.

EFF Gauteng Spokesperson Dumisa Baleni says the project should never have existed in the first place.

“There is no justification for continuing to waste public resources on a failed project that was never meant to exist from the first place. This unit must be dissolved immediately, not over three years – and every cent looted under its name must be accounted for. From the beginning, the EFF has been a consistent voice, exposing the illegitimacy of this structure.”

Meanwhile, the Public Protector’s office has released a report on allegations of irregularities in the establishment, appointment, and deployment of the CPW.

The investigation, prompted by a complaint from Advocate Paul Hoffman, found that the Gauteng Department of Community Safety acted without an empowering legal framework, resulting in maladministration.

The scathing report found that the recruitment and deployment of 6 000 CPWs were not supported by any empowering legislation.

The Public Protector concluded that the department’s actions violated constitutional provisions and the rule of law. ​

[WATCH]: Gauteng Premier Panyaza @Lesufi clarifies the role of the Gauteng Traffic Wardens at a media briefing currently underway:

1. The wardens will cease to exist in the current format. This will be done in a phased approach.

2. They will now be repurposed to be part of… pic.twitter.com/eW5GWbyHin

— Gauteng Provincial Gov (@GautengProvince) October 22, 2025

-Report by Luyanda Danca