Over a week has passed since the deployment of the army to South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plan to intensify the fight against crime, announced during his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA).
While welcome, this intervention will only bring short-term relief. So far, the army’ deployment has drawn mixed reactions, with some residents praising the intervention, while others remain unconvinced, arguing that it should have been implemented much earlier.
Armoured vehicles have been seen moving through several communities, including Eldorado Park, Riverlea, Westbury, and Sophiatown, as soldiers conduct searches for contraband and illegal firearms. These operations have led to multiple arrests and the seizure of undisclosed quantities of illicit items.
The important question, however, remains: What will happen to the state of crime once the army is recalled? All of us bear the responsibility to answer this question, and one would do well not to ignore it.
However, before doing so, it is important to understand that the South African Police Service‘s (SAPS) mandate is to prevent and investigate crime, maintain public order, and protect citizens. In contrast, the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) internal deployment is limited under the Constitution.
At this point, the SAPS is the primary institution responsible for crime control in civilian society, and the SANDF does not become the police but acts as a limited support mechanism as and when the need arises.
Although SANDF deployments offer short-term benefits such as rapid personnel reinforcement and improved capacity in high-risk areas, they also risk normalising military involvement in everyday policing.
Soldiers are trained for warfare, not community policing, which may lead to excessive force and human rights violations. Therefore, while SANDF deployment is constitutionally permissible, it must remain an exceptional and temporary measure. Everyday policing must not be outsourced to the army.
This inevitably brings us back to the pressing question: what will become of crime levels once the army is withdrawn? Gauteng remains the epicentre of crime accounting for 50% of kidnappings, 40% of business burglaries and 58% of car hijackings in the country.
In addition, Pretoria and Johannesburg, rank among the top 10 of 400 most dangerous cities in the world according to the Numbeo Crime Index 2026.
Furthermore, Gauteng in the final quarter of 2025/26 recorded 1,536 murders, translating to 17 lives lost daily.
That is the reality the people of Gauteng will face once the army is gone, highlighting the lack of effective policing and crime-prevention measures under the leadership of Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who has struggled to curb crime since taking office.
From the troubling Amapanyaza scandal to drones that remain unused and helicopters that only show up when there are high-profile public engagements, while fundamental policing issues remain unaddressed.
Many of our police stations remain severely under-resourced, with shortages of vehicles and personnel, crumbling infrastructure, and the absence of essential facilities such as telephones, holding cells, and specialised Gender Based Violence (GBV) victim empowerment rooms.
On this score, strengthening SAPS capacity rather than substituting it with the army as a temporary deterrent should be the long-term solution to Gauteng’s crime crisis.
Crime does not need a quick fix; it requires lasting, structural solutions to protect the people of our province. Failing this, we risk facing a scenario reminiscent of the famous line from the movie The Terminator: “I’ll be back.”
The DA is the only party who can make Gauteng communities safe. We have a proven good governance record and have long called for increased police capacity and the devolution of police powers. Devolving policing powers will enable Gauteng to take greater responsibility for fighting crime through improved resourcing and monitoring.
A DA-led Government would rebuild the capacity of police stations, invest in the maintenance of infrastructure and vehicles, and strengthen detective and GBV support. Yes, we can!
Michael Sun, DA Gauteng spokesperson for Community Safety
Michael Sun
iol.co.za
