Lawlessness endangers South Africa’s public servants and essential workers
Statement by Zandile Phiri, Acting Secretary General of the United Democratic Movement
Across South Africa, the safety of government employees and frontline workers has become a matter of grave concern. In Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape, municipal staff have been repeatedly targeted while performing their duties. Workers were robbed at gunpoint in municipal offices, and others have refused to return to the field after experiencing violent attacks. The situation in the city mirrors a wider climate of fear in which public servants are exposed to criminality with little protection, even as they try to deliver essential services under difficult conditions.
In Soweto, Johannesburg firefighters came under attack this week while responding to a shack fire in the Elias Motswaledi Informal Settlement. Residents stoned the fire truck, damaging a brand-new emergency vehicle that had only recently been added to the city’s fleet. This shocking incident reflects a deeper anger and frustration in communities facing poverty, overcrowding and slow service delivery. But it also shows a collapse in respect for those who come to protect life and property.
Elsewhere in the country, we understand that authorities have been forced to declare certain areas as high-risk zones where emergency personnel may not enter without a police escort. These so-called Red Zones illustrate just how dangerous the working environment has become for public servants. The arrangement is inconsistent and often delays help to communities that are already in crisis. It stands as a stark reminder that lawlessness now dictates the limits of service delivery, and that frontline workers must depend on armed protection simply to do their jobs.
The threat to safety does not stop with municipal or emergency workers. The crisis extends to the police themselves. In Kimberley, a female police officer was violently assaulted in full uniform while performing her duties in the city centre. The incident, which was captured on video and circulated on social media, shocked the nation and exposed the growing hostility faced by law enforcement officers. In Khayelitsha, protesters recently torched police vehicles during demonstrations over electricity and service delivery grievances. These events reveal a dangerous collapse of respect for the rule of law and for those tasked with upholding it. When officers are attacked and their vehicles set alight, it sends a clear message that criminals and opportunists no longer fear accountability. Such lawlessness not only threatens the lives of police officers but also undermines the very foundations of public safety and community trust.
The UDM calls for decisive and coordinated action:
1. National and provincial governments must prioritise staff safety by conducting urgent risk assessments across municipalities, especially in high-risk zones, and by ensuring that field workers and emergency responders have the protection and support they need.
2. Law enforcement agencies must act swiftly and visibly against perpetrators of violence directed at public service employees. Impunity feeds chaos and without justice, respect for public authority will continue to erode.
3. Government and communities must rebuild trust. Many of these attacks stem from frustration over failed services, but nothing justifies violence. Dialogue, transparency and accountability must replace confrontation and destruction.
4. All public institutions must invest in trauma counselling and staff wellbeing. Psychological harm cannot be ignored. It affects morale, performance and service continuity.
The UDM reiterates that South Africa cannot claim to value public service while allowing its servants to become victims. Respect for those who dedicate their lives to helping others is the foundation of a lawful, caring and functional state.
Until law and order are restored and the dignity of public service reclaimed, the dream of a safe and working South Africa will remain out of reach.
