Calls Grow to Send Army Into Gang Hotspots

Calls grow to send army into gang hotspots

Pressure continues to build on government to take stronger action against gang violence, with Fight Against Crime South Africa calling for the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to the country’s worst-affected areas. The organisation has stressed that any military deployment should form part of a joint operation with the South African Police Service (SAPS), with soldiers reinforcing police capacity and boosting visibi…

Ramaphosa Weighs Army Deployment To Tackle Gang Violence

[Image: Wikimedia Commons | Creator: Spc. Taryn Hagerman | Credit: AFRICOM PAO] With gang violence continuing to terrorise communities, President Cyril Ramaphosa is weighing up whether the army should be deployed to South Africa’s most dangerous hotspots. Speaking to journalists outside the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) Lekgotla on Saturday, Ramaphosa said the idea has gained traction after several brutal inc…

Ramaphosa considers SA army deployment for gang crisis

President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged calls for the deployment of the South African army in gang-ridden areas but suggests that police investigative work will inform such decisions.     He spoke to the media on the sidelines of the opening of the ANC NEC Lekgotla on Saturday, following renewed calls, particularly from crime fighters in the Western Cape.   Organisations like Cape Flats Safety Forum want a military presence on the Cape Flats …