South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the deployment of the army to assist police in combating escalating gang violence and organised crime, describing the situation as an urgent threat to the country’s stability.
Speaking on Thursday, Ramaphosa said criminal syndicates now pose the most immediate danger to South Africa’s democracy, social fabric and economic development.
“Organised crime is now the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development,” he said. “Our primary focus this year is on stepping up the fight against organised crime and criminal syndicates.”
The president stressed that the government would adopt a tougher approach to law enforcement, pledging zero tolerance for criminality and corruption.
“We cannot fight organised criminals by treading softly. We must act with zero tolerance and bring the full force of the law to bear,” Ramaphosa said. “I would like this message to be clear: there will be no impunity for acts of criminality and corruption.”
The decision to deploy the military comes amid persistently high levels of violent crime in the country. South Africa records an average of around 60 murders per day, one of the highest homicide rates in the world.
Many of the killings are linked to turf wars between drug gangs and violent disputes connected to illegal mining operations, which have increasingly become flashpoints for deadly confrontations.
In addition to the military deployment, Ramaphosa announced plans to strengthen law enforcement capacity by recruiting approximately 5,500 new police officers.
The move signals a significant escalation in the government’s response to crime, as authorities seek to restore public confidence and curb the violence that has plagued communities across the country.
While supporters argue that extraordinary measures are necessary to confront deeply entrenched criminal networks, critics are likely to scrutinize how the army’s involvement will be managed and whether it will deliver lasting improvements in public safety.
Melissa Enoch
