Zuko Komisa
- The SANDF will deploy to five provinces through March 2025 to suppress systemic gang and mining violence.
- With 60 murders daily, the government has declared organised crime a direct risk to economic and democratic stability.
- Officials describe the military’s role as a temporary measure to create space for a new, high-level policing paradigm.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) across five provinces to combat what he terms the “most immediate threat” to the nation’s democracy.
The mission, set to run until March 2025, specifically targets the deadly gang violence in the Western Cape and the violent turf wars between illegal mining syndicates in Gauteng.
While the plan is finalised, Major General Mark Hankel confirmed that “boots on the ground” are pending the completion of mission-readiness training and joint command structures.
This intervention follows a grim statistical backdrop: South Africa currently averages 60 homicides per day, a rate surpassed globally only by nations actively at war.
The move has faced scrutiny from critics who argue that soldiers lack essential policing skills and that the deployment signals a total failure of the police service.
However, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia defended the strategy as a necessary “FBI moment,” arguing the military presence will provide the stability needed to implement a broader, long-term crackdown on organised crime.
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