President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised the deployment of 2,200 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members from 1 March 2026 to 31 March 2027, at a cost of R823 million, to assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) against gang violence and illegal mining in five provinces, but gang-related murders in the Western Cape rose by 9.1% in 2026, with nearly 90% of all national gang murders occurring in the province, according to official figures.

Gang Murders Continue Despite Military Presence

Data from the first three weeks of January 2026 shows 195 murders in the Western Cape, with 78 occurring between 11 and 17 January. Reports from residents in Cape Town’s Cape Flats detail more than 50 killings in just one week, including children among the victims, highlighting the persistence of violence despite SANDF deployment.

The SANDF presence was intended to serve as a ‘force multiplier’ alongside police to address gang activity in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng, as well as illegal mining in Gauteng and North West. However, residents and local leaders have questioned the effectiveness of the intervention, noting that gangsters appear undeterred by military patrols.

Local Reactions And Calls For Effective Policing

Community members from Riverlea, one of the affected areas, have expressed feelings of insecurity. Speaking about daily gunfire, Rabia Williams said, “These people (soldiers) can patrol 24 hours for us here in Riverlea because the shooting is worse and worse, every day it’s happening and people are scared for their lives, they are running in.”

Another resident, Yasin Botha, said, “I feel unsafe because we don’t know when the next shooting is going to happen and we don’t know who’s targeted at. So, with army visibility and police visibility, I can assure you that I would feel 100% safe because I would know that in the event of a shooting, less than two minutes or one minute, there will be police visibility.”

The struggle to curb violent crime in the Western Cape underscores the challenges of relying on a military solution for complex, entrenched social and criminal problems. Political and civil society groups have called for greater police accountability and long-term interventions targeting the root causes of gang violence.

Authorities are expected to review the SANDF deployment’s effectiveness, with further public and parliamentary scrutiny anticipated in the coming months.