By Marcus Moloko
The Gauteng government’s controversial Crime Prevention Wardens, popularly known as AmaPanyaza, have officially been declared peace officers under Section 334 of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1977.
The announcement, made by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi on Friday, regularises the role of more than 9,000 wardens who were previously found to have been unlawfully appointed.
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The move comes after the Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, issued a damning report in October 2025, ruling that the establishment of the wardens was irregular and unlawful.
The report flagged serious legal flaws in their deployment, including the absence of statutory authority and inadequate training.
The declaration now seeks to address those concerns, granting the wardens limited powers to support law enforcement operations across Gauteng.
By invoking Section 334 of the
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