Despite President Cyril Ramaphosa’s authorisation of a year-long deployment of 2,200 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members to support the South African Police Service (SAPS) in combating crime, gang violence, and illegal mining across five provinces, gang-related murders in the Western Cape rose by 58% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to official provincial statistics.

SANDF Deployment And Ongoing Crime Spike

The SANDF deployment, known as Operation Prosper, began on 1 March 2026 and is scheduled to continue until 31 March 2027 at a projected cost of R823,153,960, according to The Presidency. The operation was announced after repeated calls for action amid persistent violence, with Deputy Defence Minister Bantu Holomisa publicising SANDF readiness in February 2026.

However, figures from the Western Cape show that between 11 and 17 January 2026, 78 murders were recorded out of a total of 195 in the first three weeks of the year. This data shows no clear reduction in violence since the start of the military intervention, raising questions about its effectiveness. On 7 August 2026, two SAPS Anti-Gang Unit members and two civilians were killed in an ambush in Reiger Park, Johannesburg, highlighting ongoing risks for law enforcement even with military involvement.

Government And Community Responses

Speaking on the deployment, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “The SANDF deployment is necessary to complement the efforts of SAPS in tackling these crimes and bringing stability to communities.” Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia conceded during a recent media interaction, “We are not winning the war against gang violence.”

GOOD Party Secretary-General Brett Herron echoed public frustration, stating, “Instead of a safer city, violent crime continues to surge, particularly in poorer communities where gangsters operate with near impunity.” Calls by civil society and opposition parties for greater accountability have intensified, noting the lack of tangible progress despite the increased security presence.

Operation Prosper is scheduled to continue until March 2027, but officials have yet to announce new strategies to reverse the upward trend in gang-related crime.