South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the deployment of the military to assist the police in tackling escalating gang violence and organised crime, describing the crisis as an urgent threat to national stability.
Speaking on Thursday, Ramaphosa warned that criminal syndicates now pose the most immediate danger to the country’s democracy, social cohesion, and economic development.
“Organised crime is now the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development,” the President said.
“Our primary focus this year is on stepping up the fight against organised crime and criminal syndicates.”
Ramaphosa emphasised a tougher stance on 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,” he said.
“I would like this message to be clear: there will be no impunity for acts of criminality and corruption.”
The military deployment comes amid persistently high levels of violent crime in South Africa, where the country records an average of roughly 60 murders per day—one of the world’s highest homicide rates.
Many killings were linked to turf wars among drug gangs and disputes over illegal mining operations, which have become flashpoints for deadly violence.
In addition to mobilising the army, Ramaphosa announced plans to bolster the police force by recruiting around 5,500 new officers, signalling a significant escalation in government efforts to restore public safety.
While supporters argue that extraordinary measures are necessary to confront entrenched criminal networks, critics are expected to scrutinise the army’s role and question whether it will produce lasting improvements in security.
