Tuesday, 17th of March, 2026

Communities across the Cape Flats are asking when the promised deployment of the South African National Defence Force will finally materialise, as gang violence continues to claim lives in the Western Cape.

Nearly a month after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the South African National Defence Force would be deployed to assist police in tackling gang violence in the Western Cape, there is still no confirmed timeline for when soldiers will arrive on the Cape Flats.

The delay has sparked growing frustration among community leaders, safety organisations and residents who say the ongoing bloodshed in gang-affected neighbourhoods demands urgent action.

The renewed calls for intervention come after several mass shooting incidents were reported across the Cape Flats in recent days. In one 72-hour period alone, three separate shootings left 13 people shot and 8 dead, highlighting the scale of violence gripping some communities.

In a separate incident in Mfuleni, two men were shot and killed on Monday morning, underscoring the daily risks faced by residents living in gang-affected areas.

While the South African National Defence Force has already been deployed in parts of Gauteng to assist law enforcement operations, the Western Cape has yet to see a similar intervention despite long-standing calls for additional support.

Criminology researcher Simon Howell from the University of Cape Town believes part of the delay may be linked to the preparation required for soldiers to operate in a crime-prevention role alongside police.

“The military has to take on, especially in the Western Cape, a different type of operational role than they are typically trained for,” Howell explained.

“Military training is not so much crime prevention, so soldiers need to be prepared to work with the South African Police Service and operate in a law enforcement environment.”

Community activists say the lack of clarity around the deployment has raised concern among residents who were expecting a more immediate response after the initial announcement.

Abie Isaacs, chairperson of the Cape Flats Safety Forum, said communities have been waiting weeks for the intervention promised by national government.

“Where is the army?” Isaacs asked. “We have seen multiple mass shootings in a single week and people are still waiting for the promised deployment.”

Isaacs acknowledged that soldiers may be undergoing orientation training but said the continued delay is difficult for residents to understand.

“We are not asking for operational details, but we are now more than 30 days after the announcement and there is still no visible deployment,” he said.

Crime-fighting organisation Fight Against Crime South Africa has also raised concerns about the delay. Spokesperson Jay-Jay Idel said military deployments can sometimes have a stabilising effect when policing resources are stretched.

“We have already seen the stabilising impact SANDF deployment can have in areas where they have been deployed,” Idel said. “Every delay has consequences because people are still being killed while decisions are debated.”

However, some analysts argue that while the presence of soldiers may increase visibility and short-term security, it will not address deeper structural challenges within the criminal justice system.

Civil society organisation Action Society says long-term solutions require stronger investigative capacity and improved prosecution of violent crime.

“These statistics show that violent crime is concentrated in identifiable hotspots,” said national spokesperson Juanita du Preez. “But simply deploying soldiers is like putting a plaster on a haemorrhage if the investigative system behind arrests is already overwhelmed.”

The Presidency recently confirmed that 2,200 soldiers would be deployed to support police operations across five provinces until March 2027. The operation is expected to cost more than R823 million.

However, while the Western Cape has been included in the plan, no specific timeline has yet been provided for when troops will be deployed in the province.

For many residents on the Cape Flats, the question continues to echo across communities affected by gang violence: when will the promised intervention finally arrive?

Source: IOL – Tracy-Lynn Ruiters