The government of South Africa will deploy army units alongside police within the next 10 days in a bid to curb escalating violent crime linked to drug gangs and illegal mining, Police Minister Firoz Cachalia told parliament on Tuesday. The move follows a directive by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who announced the intervention in a national address last week, warning that organised crime poses a serious threat to democracy and economic stability. South Africa records one of the world’s highest homicide rates, averaging about 60 murders a day.
Army and police leadership have finalized operational plans, with initial deployments to Cape Town in the Western Cape and Johannesburg in Gauteng. The Eastern Cape will also be included due to persistent gang violence and drug-related crime, Cachalia said. The Western Cape has long been plagued by turf wars between rival drug gangs, while Gauteng faces growing activity by illegal miners in abandoned gold fields. Authorities say the military will support police operations with patrols, logistics and intelligence, not replace routine law enforcement.
The deployment has sparked criticism from opposition parties and security analysts, who argue soldiers are not trained for civilian policing and question the cost and effectiveness of the move. Mmusi Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa, told parliament that a short-term military presence would not significantly reduce daily murder rates and risks masking deeper policing failures. Government officials insist the deployment is temporary and part of a broader strategy to restore order in the country’s most affected provinces.
