City of Johannesburg introduces new policy to regulate VIP security measures

The City of Johannesburg has decided not to appeal the recent court judgment regarding the policy for the protection and security of its leadership.

This decision aims to ensure transparency and clarity on the protocol for approving such policies, addressing any public concerns in an effective manner.

Historically, there has been no formal policy governing the security measures for the City's executive leadership. Security provisions were typically approved based on specific threats identified through threat risk assessments conducted by the State Security Agency or the South African Police Service (SAPS).

This practice has been in place since 2016, but the absence of a guiding policy has led to inconsistencies in the expansion of these services, which the newly approved policy seeks to address.

The City of Johannesburg emphasised that the protection of its leadership is not a new practice, but rather a continuation of measures that have been in place for years.

"The policy, which has been endorsed by the Council, aims to regularise and standardise the provision of protection services in alignment with applicable legislation and regulations," said the City in a statement.

It also addressed misinformation circulating in the public regarding the number of bodyguards and vehicles assigned to the Executive Mayor and Council Speaker.

"The City notes the misinformation that alleges that the executive mayor and council speaker have 8 and 6 bodyguards respectively and 6 convoy vehicles. This deliberate misinformation seeks to present the current leadership as insensitive and flamboyant which is not the case," the City said.

The new policy ensures a structured approach to providing protection based on risk assessments and specifies that services will be provided on an ad-hoc basis as determined by these assessments.

The City further reassured the public that the inspectors involved in these security measures are part of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), with no new recruits in this area.

The City's priorities, outlined after the Mayoral Lekgotia, include By-Law Enforcement, Safer City initiatives, and Accelerated Service Delivery, which have already seen significant progress as of late 2024. These efforts also encompass the reclaiming of hijacked and rundown buildings in the Inner City as part of its Inner-City Rejuvenation plan.

As the City of Johannesburg moves forward with the newly approved policy, it will study the full court judgment and develop an implementation plan, which will be communicated to the public in due course.

IOL