President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday elaborated on his decision to deploy the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to support the South African Police Service (SAPS) in combating illegal mining syndicates in Gauteng and violent gangs in the Western Cape.
Ramaphosa was speaking on the sidelines of the annual Presidential Golf Challenge at Atlantic Beach Golf Estate in Melkbosstrand, an event held a day after the State of the Nation Address (SONA). Inaugurated in 1999, the Presidential Golf Challenge allows the sitting President to raise funds for a charity of their choice while creating a networking platform for decision-makers in government and the private sector.
The announcement of the SANDF deployment was first made during his 2026 SONA, where Ramaphosa identified organised crime as one of South Africa’s most immediate threats, saying illegal mining networks and gang activity were undermining community safety, economic stability and the rule of law.
Speaking to journalists on Friday, Ramaphosa said he had directed the Minister of Police to work with the Minister of Defence to finalise the operational plan and the deployment timeline.
“I did say I have decided to deploy the soldiers and I have directed the Minister of Police to work with the Minister of Defence to work out the full plan. The timing must be worked out in the next few days,” Ramaphosa said.
He added that Parliament would be formally informed in terms of the Constitution and that the cost implications would also be disclosed.
“The costings are still to be worked out between now and the next few days.”
However, he declined to reveal operational details, saying doing so would compromise the intervention.
“We are not going to tell you about the type of tactical interventions. If we tell you, those who are doing the wrong things — the gangs — will know in advance what we are going to do.”
Ramaphosa stressed that the SANDF would operate in support of SAPS rather than replace it.
“You must know that soldiers are not police people. Soldiers are trained to kill and to defend the people of South Africa. In this case they will be defending peace and combating criminality,” he said, describing the joint deployment as a combination that has worked well in the past.
Earlier on Friday, IOL reported that Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi welcomed the planned SANDF deployment, describing it as a necessary intervention against violent illegal mining syndicates that have destabilised communities across parts of the province.
In the Western Cape, the deployment has drawn both support and renewed calls for structural reform.
In a statement, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed what he described as “short-term stabilisation support” by the SANDF in gang crime hotspots, but challenged the President to urgently devolve greater policing powers to the City.
“Any short-term relief for families in gang-impacted communities is most welcome, and our City police will be on hand to support SAPS and the SANDF, as will our safety technology,” Hill-Lewis said.
“But Mr President, while we welcome the army, it is only short-term. We urge you to also act now on real solutions to up gang crime convictions by devolving more powers to City police.”
Hill-Lewis said the City’s well-trained officers were ready to build prosecution-ready case dockets to increase convictions for gang, gun and drug-related crimes, adding that draft regulations expanding municipal policing powers had already been submitted to national government.
The mayor cited data showing that City police confiscate around 450 illegal firearms annually, but said the conviction rate in such cases is approximately 5%, blaming what he described as a “broken criminal justice system” and under-resourced SAPS and National Prosecuting Authority structures.
He warned that the City would push for an urgent commitment from the President on expanded metro policing powers and would consider legal avenues if necessary.
Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security Alderman JP Smith said while the SANDF could stabilise gang hotspots, “only a functioning criminal justice system will keep communities safe.”
The City also released figures indicating that between 2021 and 2025 it added 1,263 new officers — a 48% increase — while SAPS personnel in Cape Town declined by an estimated 1 300 officers over the same period. According to the City, there are now around 560 more municipal policing vehicles on the roads compared to SAPS vehicles.
A recent parliamentary reply further revealed that SAPS vacancy rates range between 20% and 40% across most Cape Town precincts, including 200 vacant detective posts as of August 2025.
The SANDF deployment therefore enters a complex policing environment: in Gauteng, where illegal mining syndicates have grown increasingly organised and violent, and in the Western Cape, where gang-related crime persists amid ongoing debates over policing powers, resources and accountability.
Further details regarding the size, duration and cost of the military deployment are expected once Parliament is formally notified.
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Jonisayi Maromo
iol.co.za