A SHOT IN THE ARM-Y - Ramaphosa says SANDF know what they’re doing ahead of Cape Flats mission
READY, SOLDAAT: South African National Defence Force
Image: File
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has warned skollies and reassured Cape Flats residents that SANDF troops know what they are doing.
This was Ramaphosa’s message on Friday after announcing at Thursday’s State of the Nation address that he would be deploying the army to gang-invested neighbourhoods on the Flats to help the police combat gang violence.
He said of the soldate: “They have done extremely well whenever they have been deployed alongside the police. They give confidence to our people, and they are a deterrent.
“You must know that soldiers are not police officers. Soldiers are trained to kill and defend the people of South Africa. In this case, they will be defending the peace.
“They will be defending anti-criminality, and that is what they will be doing, and the police, alongside the defence, will continue to do their work properly supported and armed with the support of SANDF.
“We saw that during Covid. I deployed the SANDF during Covid and they played a very important supportive role to our people, working alongside other security forces.
Ramaphosa confirmed that he has directed Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia and Defence Minister Angie Motshekga to work out the tactical plan and timing of the deployment within the next few days.
“I will be informing Parliament and informing them that this is the step I am taking, and I will also be informing them what it will cost,” he said, adding that the cost will be looked into over the next few days.
Meanwhile, Western Cape Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile says they will be deployed soon.
EWN quoted Patekile as saying: “The City of Cape Town is generating 80 to 85 percent of our crime in the Western Cape. So we are going to be focusing on the city, particularly the Cape Flats.
“We are talking about the gang areas and the areas where extortion and taxi violence is rife. So if we focus on those areas and reduce the murders there, then the City of Cape Town will be safer.”