Barely two weeks in office, Johannesburg executive mayor Dada Morero received backlash for suggesting that the city should hire foreign nationals in law enforcement.

In Dubai they only speak Arabic and it's one of the safest cities in the world! They fought Nigerian criminals without hiring them! ANC must lose ALL municipalities in 2026 Dada Morero ?? pic.twitter.com/tcU5K2bakz

— Gobetse ?? (@TheRealGobetse) August 25, 2024

NOT IN AGREEMENT

Morero made the statement over the weekend during the ANC Gauteng Lekgotla, where he said: "None of our men and women in uniform can speak any of the foreign African languages and that is a challenge for us when dealing with crime. When you have foreign suspects, they can plan what they are going to say in the statement in front of you without you hearing what they are saying. It might be a culture shock to suggest that those that are properly documented be recruited to the JMPD." Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has denounced the statement and said they had a meeting with the mayor following an ANC Lekgotla where his proposal was rejected. "We held discussions with our regional chairperson and executive mayor, Comrade Dada, who advised us that the ANC Johannesburg Lekgotla rejected his proposal, and he fully accepts the decision not to entertain this proposal further. We remain committed to ensuring that our law enforcement agencies are appropriately trained to tackle challenges created by crime. Our sincerest apologies for the confusion and pain caused by this proposal." 

MISINFORMED

The EFF hit back at Morero's proposal, dismissing it as being misinformed and a lack of political and governance insight coming from a mayor. "The state has both the responsibility and the resources to equip itself to serve all its communities. In cases where language barriers exist, the government should focus on enhancing the police force with the necessary intelligence, language skills and cultural understanding. Investment should be made in training officers and providing them with linguistic tools to better understand and engage with the communities they serve. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that the JMPD and SAPS are failing to address crime in areas with high numbers of foreign nationals due to language barriers," said the EFF in a statement.

Action SA has also rubbished Morero's proposal and said they reject it. "Requirements to serve in the JMPD stipulate that an applicant must be a South African citizen. Therefore, this idea is a dead end. It is without question that this proposal is an insult to the thousands of South Africans who still aspire to wear the uniform, particularly the thousands of neglected police reservists who are ready to step up," the party said. ActionSA added that they believe that there are other avenues to address language barriers without resorting to the extreme measure of hiring foreign nationals in law enforcement. ActionSA will always prioritise the interests of residents over any ill-conceived and underdeveloped ideas and reiterate our commitment to holding the executive accountable while providing sound."