President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will be deployed to support the South African Police Service (SAPS) in gang-ridden areas of the Western Cape.
The announcement was made during his State of the Nation Address on 12 February, where he said he had directed the Minister of Police and the SANDF to develop a technical plan for the deployment in the province. More details on the scope and timing of the intervention will be released in due course.
Ramaphosa said the move forms part of the government’s efforts to address persistent and escalating gang violence, particularly in parts of Cape Town.
Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, has welcomed decisive intervention but cautioned that military deployment alone cannot resolve the root causes of organised crime.
“Given the sustained and escalating levels of gang violence, decisive intervention is justified,” Cameron said. “A properly mandated and time-bound SANDF deployment can help stabilise hotspots and create operational space for law enforcement.”
However, he stressed that “stabilisation is not a strategy”.
Cameron warned that while soldiers can assist with visibility and area control, they cannot replace the investigative and intelligence functions of SAPS or the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.
“They cannot dismantle drug networks, build racketeering cases or secure sustainable convictions,” he said.
Instead, Cameron called for structural reform within law enforcement, including intelligence-led policing based on credible crime intelligence, prosecutor-guided investigations into organised crime syndicates, and financial disruption through asset forfeiture targeting syndicate leadership.
He also urged the expansion of policing powers to capable metropolitan governments.
Cameron pointed to the City of Cape Town Metro Police as an example of operational capacity that could be strengthened. Granting enhanced forensic authority, particularly ballistic analysis powers in gang-related gun violence, could act as a “major force multiplier”, he said.
“Rapid local ballistic tracing integrated with national systems would link shootings faster, identify repeat firearms, strengthen case dockets and improve conviction rates.”
He added that where municipal capability exists and can measurably improve safety outcomes, it should be enabled within a coordinated national framework.
Ramaphosa also announced that all SAPS and Metro Police members will undergo re-vetting. Cameron said this step is necessary, citing concerns about organised crime infiltration within law enforcement ranks.
But he warned that vetting must be accompanied by consequence management.
“If disciplinary outcomes are overturned at the senior level, accountability becomes selective,” he said.
Cameron concluded that while short-term stabilisation may calm violence in hotspots, long-term safety will require empowered and competent institutions, integrity within the system, and measurable accountability.
“The core question remains: are we prioritising political positioning, or the safety of our people?” he asked.
