High Court Rejects Joburg Mayor’s Request for Extra Bodyguards Amid Crime Concerns

Johannesburg – The shorthand for Gauteng Province, “GP,” has been informally reinterpreted as “Gangsters Paradise,” creating enough anxiety among city leaders to warrant heightened personal security measures.

With Gauteng accounting for 26.9% of all reported crimes nationwide, it comes as no surprise that the Johannesburg mayor is requesting a minimum of 10 bodyguards, while the Speaker believes that eight would ensure greater security.

The main concern is that residents, who are themselves facing various criminal activities, will ultimately shoulder the financial responsibility of safeguarding the mayor and Speaker.

In light of this, the safety-conscious City of Johannesburg opted to implement a VIP protection policy on 20 March 2024.

“We immediately expressed our concerns within the Council and cautioned the City that this policy violates constitutional limits, urging its retraction,” stated Cllr Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Johannesburg Caucus Leader.

“Yet, the ANC-EFF-PA-ActionSA coalition disregarded our worries and exploited their majority to advance this through the council.”

From the beginning, there were evident problems with this policy, particularly as the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs limits bodyguard numbers to two for the mayor and other officials.

This past Thursday (2 January 2025), the Johannesburg High Court ruled the City’s VIP protection policy as “unconstitutional and invalid.”

It’s no wonder that the DA in Johannesburg is celebrating, noting that they “kicked off 2025 on a high note, winning our legal battle against the City of Johannesburg’s VIP protection policy.”

Cllr Kayser-Echeozonjoku stated, “Unfortunately, the City has once again been reminded of the expensive consequences of neglecting the rule of law.”

However, the court’s ruling has been suspended until 14 February 2025 to give the City of Johannesburg time to perform a “threat and risk analysis” that validates the necessity for additional bodyguards for the mayor and Speaker.

“We don’t expect much from this, considering they have failed to deliver such assessments for over a year,” remarked Cllr Kayser-Echeozonjoku.

“The DA has persistently contended that funding should be focused on residents rather than lavish VIP protection for politicians.

“We remain dedicated to advocating for the residents of Johannesburg and maintaining the rule of law. 

“This is what the City of Johannesburg will now be obligated to follow.”

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