South Africans can expect to see soldiers on the streets from 1 April as government rolls out a joint security operation targeting communities hit hard by crime. According to Cape Town ETC, officials told Parliament that members of the South African National Defence Force will work alongside the South African Police Service in several high-risk areas.

President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier announced the deployment of about 2,200 SANDF members. The mission will focus on combating illegal mining and gangsterism in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, North West and Western Cape. The deployment is expected to run until 31 March 2027 at an estimated cost of R823 million.

What the Operation Will Target

The operation comes as authorities face growing pressure to respond to organised crime networks that have tightened their grip in parts of the country. SANDF Brigadier General Martin Gopane told MPs the aim is to go after the people directing criminal activity, not just those on the ground. He also said the deployment comes at a time when South Africa faces complex organised crime threats.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said the army and police were being deployed for stabilisation. He added that the two organisations needed more time than expected to prepare, train and plan before starting the operation. Cachalia also said many of the underlying problems were socio-economic, with children as young as 12 reportedly being recruited by gangs that operate across borders.

Questions Over Impact and Accountability

The planned deployment has already raised tough questions in Parliament. MPs asked how success would be measured, whether there is a clear exit plan and whether the operation will produce convictions instead of only arrests. Defence Minister Angie Motshekga said the goal is to “neutralise, not to eradicate”, and that performance indicators would differ from area to area depending on local conditions.

Officials also said arrests must follow the Criminal Procedure Act. If a SANDF member makes an arrest, that person must be handed to SAPS without delay. Gopane said strict guidelines and a code of conduct would be used to manage compliance. Authorities have not yet named the exact communities where soldiers will be deployed.