Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Gauteng government is facing challenges meeting its 6 000 crime-prevention warden target as it details that fake certificates, criminal records, and unfit candidates drastically reduced the number of qualified individuals suited to work alongside law enforcement.
In his efforts to employ the youth in the province, Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the government had encountered various challenges throughout the recruitment process, which reduced the targeted 6 000 wardens initially proposed.
He attributed the loss to people being “planted”, which he said were individuals who skipped the correct procedure, and physical assessments, heading straight to the camp training site, which disqualified them.
Lesufi said by verifying matric certificates, it was revealed numerous people were without authentic documents and many were ineligible due to them possessing criminal records post-vetting.
“With the help of the department [and] with the help of various sources of data – for example, we had to use the IEC data to determine if whether indeed people are South Africans [and] are indeed registered to be in Gauteng.
“Second, we also had to use the Department of Education to determine if people wrote their matric in Gauteng because matric was a very important identifier.
“Third, we also have to ensure that everyone that has applied is indeed coming from our local [areas], and these processes have its limitations and challenges.”
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Health concerns were also an issue of consideration, with many risking their health and lives, said Lesufi, because of desperation for employment.
“But at the ultimate end, we had to release those we felt were not fit and proper to be part of this force.
“There are others, because of being desperate for employment, [who] came not only physically unfit, but also risked their lives because they could not qualify through our vigorous training processes.”
The process consisted of physical assessments, which were timed, and wardens undertook various modules and courses that would aid them in better understanding the Constitution and criminal justice system, including how to manage crowds.
The unit will also work with residents to ensure they can live safely and will be patrolling the area for 24 hours in rotating 12-hour shifts.
“We are releasing this force to strengthen the work of the police. We are releasing this force to ensure that our people will start to walk freely in our parks, in our streets, and on their way to work, either to railway stations or taxi ranks,” said Lesufi.
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Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko said only individuals posessing a matric certificate were considered.
She added others had records of petty crimes such as breaking Covid-19 curfew rules or fighting.
Mazibuko estimated the Gauteng government spent R450 million on accommodation for the applicants, transportation, and uniforms, distributed to the wardens graduating on Sunday.
About 200 vehicles with the “necessary technology” that will be prepared for the instalment of e-buttons when ready for utilisation have also been acquired for wardens.
E-panic buttons have already been distributed to community patrollers, followed by CCTV, which will be connected to the controls to notify security in various areas.
A parade to welcome and officially launch the wardens will take place on Sunday in Pretoria to introduce their newly recruited unit to the public following their four-month training programme.
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