During the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) would be deployed to assist in addressing gang-related crime and violence in the Western Cape, and to combat illegal mining operations in Gauteng. It was later confirmed that the deployment would include the Eastern Cape. The announcement reflects the urgency, desperation and public outcry to address South Africa’s evolving organised crime crisis, which is increasingly regarded as one of the most immediate threats to our democratic stability, social cohesion and sustainable economic development. The President’s framing of organised crime as a national security concern rather than merely a policing issue, signals a significant shift in how crime is conceptualised and responded to at the highest levels of government.

Gang violence, extortion and contract killings have become prevalent across the country, with particularly devastating consequences in Cape Town and Gauteng. These crimes destabilise communities, undermine the authority of the state, erode public trust, and entrench citizens in persistent cycles of fear, trauma and social fragmentation. Similar to criminal gangs, illegal mining syndicates, commonly referred to as zama zamas, have evolved into sophisticated criminal enterprises characterised by territorial conflict, extreme violence, money laundering, and the exploitation of vulnerable migrant labour. Their operations compromise public safety, damage infrastructure, degrade the environment, and generate illicit financial flows that potentially sustain broader networks of organised crime.

While the scale and severity of organised criminal activity is indisputable, military deployment as a potential reduction measure raises crucial concerns. On one hand, this may temporarily succeed in stabilising volatile environments, disrupt criminal operations, and provide visible reassurance to affected communities. On the other, the deployment of the defence force would most likely offer only tactical relief, rather than strategic and sustainable solutions to the problem. Gangs and other organised criminal groups are fluid and adaptable, a key reason for their continued growth and evolution. When confronted by force and intensified enforcement, these groups are likely to respond with violence, relocate, reorganise, and re-emerge or spread into other areas thus displacing the problem as opposed to eliminating it. While a military response may aid in suppressing overt manifestations of organised criminal activity, it is unlikely to address the underlying socio-economic, systemic and structural drivers that cause and sustain it. 

Understanding gang culture and the limitations of military deployment 

Gangs and organised criminal networks are deeply entrenched within local communities and economies, family units, formal and informal power structures, and illicit markets. These groups are highly organised, well-connected, extremely violent and complex criminal enterprises that are sustained through shared identity, loyalty, fear, economic dependence and social belonging. Gang operations are underpinned by sophisticated systems of recruitment, territorial governance, financial management, and violent enforcement. Any measure of successful intervention would thus require sustained intelligence gathering, forensic investigation, asset seizure, witness protection, prosecutorial efficacy and institutional integrity. Likewise, our management strategies need to be proactive as opposed to being reactive, and facilitate the treatment of the root causes instead of merely responding to the aftermath. Equally important is the recognition that organised crime flourishes in environments characterised by inequality, deprivation, unemployment, social exclusion, corruption, and institutional fragility. In many gang-affected communities, chronic poverty, school dropout, overcrowding, family disintegration, and limited economic opportunities create a fertile breeding ground for gang recruitment. Gangs offer false stability by providing a source of income, identity, belonging, and protection where formal social and economic institutions fail. Similarly, illegal mining operations thrive among populations facing extreme economic marginalisation, labour displacement, and migration insecurity.

Against this backdrop, military deployment, while potentially disruptive, is unlikely to produce sustainable reductions in organised crime. Continued military presence in crime hotspots will not be financially nor operationally sustainable, given existing strains experienced by the SANDF which include, budgetary constraints, logistical limitations, ageing infrastructure and limited resources. Although soldiers can assist the South African Police Service (SAPS) in a supportive capacity, they are not essentially designed nor are they mandated to perform long-term domestic law enforcement functions, and lack investigative authority, prosecutorial coordination, and the community engagement capacity required to more permanently dismantle criminal networks. Prolonged military presence would potentially also desensitise communities to armed presence, foster dependency rather than empowerment, and possibly beget more violence within affected areas. Moreover, it may further erode confidence and trust in local policing structures, creating the impression that SAPS is incapable of fulfilling its core mandate.  

Toward sustainable and evidence-based crime prevention

The fight against organised crime, gangsterism and illegal mining operations requires evidence-based, tailored and multi-pronged intervention strategies focused on proactive prevention, disruption, development and sustainability. In this regard, gang violence and other forms of organised crime must be managed holistically and not viewed solely as a police or governmental responsibility. While these agencies play a central role, sustainable solutions demand active engagement from families, schools, community organisations, faith-based institutions, civil society, and the private sector. At the law enforcement level, strategic emphasis should be placed on enhancing the quality of financial investigations, asset forfeiture operations, intelligence-led policing efforts and cross-border collaboration. Concerted efforts should be made to invest in the enhancement of community-police forums, the establishment of dedicated organised crime courts and specialised prosecutorial units, and more efficient implementation of legislative and policy frameworks such as the National Anti-Gangsterism Strategy (NAGS) and the Prevention of Organised Crimes Act (POCA). 

Equally vital are social development interventions aimed at reducing vulnerability to gang recruitment and criminal exploitation. Sustainable crime prevention must prioritise youth development through skills training, vocational education, school retention strategies, mentorship programmes, trauma counselling, and family support initiatives. Access to meaningful employment, entrepreneurship opportunities, and prosocial recreational activities can substantially weaken the appeal of gang membership and illicit economies. Urban renewal and spatial justice initiatives would further contribute to long-term safety. Improved housing, public infrastructure, community facilities, and service delivery would strengthen social cohesion, informal social control, and collective efficacy. Safe, dignified environments foster resilience and reduce the opportunity structures upon which organised crime depends.