In a significant escalation of the state’s response to a deepening security crisis, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised the deployment of the national defence force to assist police operations against organised crime and gang violence. The move addresses what the government describes as an immediate threat to the nation’s stability and economic future.
President Ramaphosa declared on Thursday that organised crime now poses the most urgent danger to South Africa’s democracy, societal cohesion, and economic development. “We cannot fight organised criminals by treading softly,” he stated. “We must act with zero tolerance and bring the full force of the law to bear. I would like this message to be clear: there will be no impunity for acts of criminality and corruption.” The deployment is framed as a necessary, temporary measure to bolster overwhelmed police resources during this “year of action” against criminal syndicates.
This decision follows years of persistently high violent crime rates that have eroded public confidence. South Africa records approximately 60 murders per day, a figure that includes brutal conflicts between drug trafficking gangs and mass shootings linked to illegal mining, often tied to violent turf wars over rich mineral deposits. The problem is particularly acute in major urban centres and informal settlements, where gang dominance frequently outpaces police presence.
The army deployment supplements other announced initiatives, most notably the recruitment of 5,500 new police officers. However, experts have long highlighted that South Africa’s police-to-population ratio remains severely inadequate compared to global benchmarks. The president’s statement therefore signals a recognition that conventional law enforcement has been insufficient against highly militarised criminal networks.
The announcement comes amid heightened public pressure and political debate over security. While previous administrations have occasionally deployed military contingents for specific operations, this latest move formalises a broader, more integrated role for the defence force in domestic crime fighting. The operation’s scope, duration, and specific rules of engagement have not yet been detailed.
The scale of the challenge is immense. Organised crime syndicates are implicated in everything from drug trafficking and extortion to corruption that infiltrates state institutions. The government’s shift to a “zero tolerance” stance, underpinned by military support, represents a high-stakes gamble to reclaim territory from criminal elements. Its success will depend on coordinated execution, community trust, and sustained investment in holistic strategies beyond short-term force multiplication. The world will watch closely to see if this militarised approach can stem the tide of violence that has claimed thousands of lives annually.
