South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that troops will be deployed to tackle gang violence and other crimes in the country. According to CTV News, the move is aimed at addressing the escalating gang wars and illegal mining activities in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces.
The decision was announced during Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address, where he emphasized that organised crime poses the most immediate threat to South Africa’s democracy and economic development. “I will be deploying the South African National Defence Force to support the police,” Ramaphosa said.
The deployment is expected to focus on areas such as Cape Town and Johannesburg, where gang violence and illegal mining have resulted in significant loss of life and property. The president directed the police and army chiefs to draw up a plan for deployment within the next few days.
According to News24, Ramaphosa highlighted the impact of crime on citizens, stating that “children are caught in the crossfire of gang wars” and “people are chased out of their homes by illegal miners”. The government plans to recruit 5,500 new police officers and boost intelligence to tackle priority crime syndicates.
The move is seen as a significant step towards addressing South Africa’s high crime rates, with approximately 60 deaths occurring daily due to gang violence and other crimes. The deployment is expected to provide much-needed support to overstretched police forces.
The government has also announced measures to address underlying issues, including improving water and sanitation infrastructure and holding accountable those responsible for service delivery failures.
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Author: Korkor Anumu
