In Ekurhuleni, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi paid a visit to the injured Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens at the Alberton Netcare Hospital. Image credit: Thabiso Goba/ EWN.
(The Post News) – Five Gauteng crime wardens were brutally attacked by a group of armed individuals on Sunday in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, leaving one critically injured and four others seriously injured. Provincial politicians have widely condemned the event, including Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who has since visited the injured wardens and pledged to hold those responsible accountable.
Details of the Attack
Three male and two female wardens were on a normal patrol and inspection near the Daveyton Railway Station when the attack happened early on Sunday morning. The Gauteng Provincial Department of Community Safety reported that the wardens saw a suspicious-looking Avanza with about 12 persons inside, all of whom were wearing black. A flurry of gunfire from powerful weapons, such as an AK-47 and handguns, greeted the wardens as they tried to search the gathering.
Each of the five wardens was shot. In an intensive care unit (ICU), one warden is still in critical condition, and another has recovered consciousness. The fifth warden, the driver, has already been released despite having a bullet embedded in his shoulder, while the other two are in stable condition and should be released shortly.
Official Response and Condemnation
Panyaza Lesufi, the premier of Gauteng, has severely denounced the “senseless attack,” describing it as a “utter disregard for the rule of law.” Noting that the wardens probably thwarted a major criminal mission, he commended their bravery. “I appreciate that they took a bullet on behalf of all of us because you don’t know where eleven to 20 people carrying AK-47s would have ended if they were not disturbed,” said Lesufi.
The Premier has promised the wounded wardens that the government will remain fully committed to their welfare and that counseling will be available. An attempted murder case has been opened by the Daveyton South African Police Service (SAPS), and a manhunt is in progress to find the suspects.
A Broader Context of Violence
This is not a unique instance. According to media sources, there is a troubling trend of criminals in South Africa indiscriminately attacking law enforcement. The assault in Daveyton comes after two similar events in Durban on August 12, when police were fired at while chasing suspects connected to the death of a police officer in Inanda and during a shootout in Pinetown that was prevented.
About the Crime Wardens
In 2023, the provincial crime wardens, referred to as “Amapanyaza,” were appointed as peace officers. With this classification, they have the same jurisdiction as Gauteng traffic officers under section 334 of the Criminal Procedure Act. They are in the forefront of the province’s crime-fighting and community safety initiatives.
In addition to highlighting the rising problem of illegal high-powered rifles in the province, the attack on these wardens underlines the enormous risks that law enforcement professionals face on a daily basis. The Gauteng government has reaffirmed that it will not let such violent incidents stop it from carrying out its efforts to tackle crime.
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