Cape Town, South Africa — 2026-02-14 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to Assist in Gang Violence Crackdown. Cape Town, South Africa — The South African government is preparing for the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the Western Cape, particularly in Cape Town, to combat escalating gang violence and organized crime, according to official statements. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the military intervention in crime hotspots, including Cape Town and Gauteng, as a response to the ongoing violence.
The Western Cape police are in the process of preparing to receive the SANDF members, with discussions on troop numbers and timing currently ongoing. While welcoming the deployment, Western Cape Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile emphasized that it is not a permanent solution. Officials commented on the matter. “.
Local crime fighters advocate for the military to play a supportive role, allowing the Police Anti — Gang Unit to lead the direct fight against organized gangsterism.
The Cape Flats Safety Forum supports this approach to ensure effective, targeted operations.
The deployment follows police raids in Mitchell’s Plain, a day after Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) where he highlighted criminal networks undermining state authority.
Community policing forums cautiously support the move but urge long — term social interventions and capacitation of detectives, courts, and prosecutors to achieve lasting change. Further details about the exact number of troops to be deployed and the nature of the military intervention remain unclear at this stage.
The government has not yet commented on these specifics.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 3*
