Mpumalanga Paid 1200 Crime Prevention Wardens R53 Million to Stay Home for 11 Months

• The Mpumalanga Department of Safety, Security and Liaison spent nearly R53 million on 1,200 Crime Prevention Wardens who were never deployed
• The wardens were withdrawn from SAPS stations in October 2024 and told to wait at home, despite signing two-year contracts with the department
• The DA has called on Premier Mandla Ndlovu to hold the department accountable for what it described as a wasteful expenditure of public funds

MPUMALANGA — The Mpumalanga Department of Safety, Security and Liaison paid close to R53 million to 1,200 Crime Prevention Wardens over 11 months while they remained at home, never performing the duties they were recruited to carry out.

A spokesperson for the group told News24 that the wardens repeatedly asked to be deployed but received no response from the department. The programme launched in September 2024, when MEC Jackie Macie announced two-year contracts for the 1,200 recruits.

They were placed across 90 police stations throughout the province at a monthly salary of R4,000, with the stated purpose of supporting the South African Police Service. Within a matter of weeks, however, the department reversed course. By October, the wardens had been pulled out of SAPS stations and told to remain at home.

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After complaints surfaced in January 2025, the wardens were sent to complete a two-week course at the Mpumalanga Traffic Training College in Mkhuthlu, retraining them as traffic wardens. Despite completing the course, no deployment followed.

Department spokesperson Moeti Mmusi acknowledged that the wardens continued to receive their salaries throughout the period. He confirmed that their contracts would not be renewed and would not be converted into permanent positions. Mmusi added that compliance certificates related to their traffic training are currently being processed by the Road Traffic Management Corporation.

DA condemns R53 million as wasteful spending

Provincial Democratic Alliance spokesperson Teboho Sekaledi condemned the expenditure in strong terms, describing it as a clear waste of public funds. Sekaledi called on Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu to intervene and ensure the department is held accountable for the money spent on individuals who were paid without being put to work.

The episode raises broader questions about the management of public safety programmes in the province, particularly at a time when communities continue to face pressure on policing resources.

Mpumalanga department CFO dismissed for laptop scandal

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the recent dismissal of the Mpumalanga Department of Education Chief Financial Officer, Thokozile Ntuli, in connection with a controversial R2 million laptop procurement scandal. The scandal not only raised concerns about financial mismanagement but also ignited public demands for accountability beyond mere termination of employment.

Source: Briefly News