City of Joburg’s VIP Policy Deemed Unconstitutional, Mayor and Officials Won’t Receive More Security

• The Johannesburg High Court has ruled that the City of Joburg's VIP Policy was unconstitutional and invalid
• The VIP Policy, which was adopted in March 2024, sought to provide the Mayor and officials with extra security
• South Africans are thankful that the policy has been declared invalid, asking why the Mayor needed more bodyguards

Dada Morero will not get extra bodyguards or six vehicles added to his security detail.

That’s thanks to a Johannesburg High Court ruling that found the City of Joburg’s VIP policy unconstitutional and invalid.

The VIP policy would have allowed the city to allocate ten bodyguards and six vehicles to the Mayor.

Court ruling enforceable in 6 weeks

Joburg High Court Judge Stuart Wilson made the ruling on Thursday, 02 January 2025, but it can only be enforced after six weeks.

Judge Wilson found that the city failed to provide a threat assessment from SAPS to justify why office bearers needed extra security.

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With the enforcement date still some time away, the city has time to justify why the Mayor and other officials need extra protection.

The council originally adopted the VIP policy on 20 March 2024, but the DA challenged it, saying it was unlawful, invalid, and unconstitutional.

At the time of its adoption, the policy sought to provide the Executive Mayor with ten personal protection officers and the speaker with eight.

MMCs and chairs of two committees would have been given between two and five personal protection officers.

VIP Protection officers have always been a contentious issue. On 6 July 2023, it was reported that the government spent R1.9 billion to keep politicians safe in the past financial year. In contrast, SAPS spent R2.247 billion to protect the rest of the population.

The convoys themselves have also made headlines, with the Automobile Association concerned about the number of high-speed motorcades on the roads.

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South Africans celebrate the news

Social media users were glad that the court ruled against it, with many asking why the Mayor needed so many bodyguards.

Makuya UB said:

“Fruitless and wasteful expenditure.”

Dintweng Shai added:

“The court is saving us from the evil corrupt thieves.”

Siobhan Diss exclaimed:

“Thank goodness. Get rid of this Mayor. The City of Johannesburg cannot get into any more debt because of mismanagement.”

Vega Simon said:

“10 bodyguards and six vehicles for a mere mayor. Nonsense.”

Jozi Jozi stated:

“What makes a major so important to have 10 guards? You only need so many guards when you are deadwood and can't provide basic services, and the people want to hit you for being incompetent and useless.”

Ingrid Royston said:

“What an entitled, idiotic bunch. Fix the filthy city. Do the work you are paid to do.”

Delta Delta asked:

“Why does he need 10 bodyguards?”

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R160m spent on overtime for VIP Protection officers

Briefly News reported on 15 October 2024 that taxpayer money accounted for over R160 million for VIP Protection officers' overtime.

It was also revealed that over R200 million was spent on overtime for politicians' bodyguards during the previous financial year.

South Africans were divided over the amount spent on overtime for security detail for the country's politicians.

Source: Briefly News