DOOMED DEPLOYMENT: Troops on the streets, but gang violence continues to soar
Despite 2,200 soldiers being deployed to support the police at a cost of more than R800-million, the police minister admits ‘we are not winning’ the war.
Despite deploying 2,200 soldiers to support police operations against crime, gang violence continues to surge in South Africa. The military intervention, called Operation Prosper, has cost over R800 million and is set to run until March 2027. However, despite the additional boots on the ground, the police minister admitted that "we are not winning" the war against crime.
In Gauteng, the deployment is expected to run until the end of April 2027 with 500 troops committed at a cost of R80-million. The recent killing of two Gauteng Anti-Gang Unit officers and two civilians, as well as 70 recorded killings in the Western Cape between 2 August and 9 August, highlight the ongoing challenges in combating gang violence.
The government has acknowledged weaknesses in the South African Police Service (SAPS), particularly in terms of detectives and crime intelligence.
Brief written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
