Cape Town – Deputy Minister of Defence Bantu Holomisa has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to deploy the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist the police in combating gang violence and other crimes across the country.
“Organised crime is now the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development,” Ramaphosa said in his annual state of the nation address on Thursday.
“I will be deploying the South African National Defence Force to support the police,” he told both houses of parliament.
Following the announcement, Holomisa said the move was a response to a deteriorating security situation that has left the public increasingly concerned.
Deputy minister of defence Bantu Holomisa says SANDF troops are ready to be deployed on the ground to protect citizens. He warned: ‘We won’t play — never point a firearm at soldiers. We’re not the police.’ pic.twitter.com/L9voSBYapc
— Times LIVE (@TimesLIVE) February 12, 2026
“We must commend the president for having listened to the security cluster when we tabled the security situation of the country as early as last year,” Holomisa said.
“We have been saying, sir, that the public is beginning to lose confidence in how we deal with security-related matters. People are coming into the country without documentation – they cause havoc, they run away. Also, people are being killed randomly, so we are asking that the issue of security must be prioritised. So I must commend him on that in taking that step.”
South Africa currently faces a high murder rate of around 60 deaths per day, with gang-related killings in parts of Cape Town and mass shootings linked to illegal mining in Gauteng province.
Deputy Defence Minister, General Bantu Holomisa, says the South African National Defence Force is ready to deploy troops in support of the South African Police Service, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive to strengthen the fight against gang violence and illegal… pic.twitter.com/sCqHsEw4LE
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) February 13, 2026
Holomisa emphasised that the army’s role would be to support the police, rather than take over law enforcement duties. “In so far as the deployment of our troops in hot spots, we will depend really on whether they [the police] need our assistance. But the authority by the president this evening has been given that if you want the assistance of the army, Parliament, and my office, we are ready for it,” he said.
He added that the deployment could begin as early as next Friday if required. “It’s not a war. It’s just to assist the police. We are prioritising the security of South Africans and we are not going to play. All we are asking is for the public to cooperate and please never point a firearm at any soldiers we are going to deploy. We are not policemen; we are the army.”
The announcement comes amid growing public outcry over escalating gang violence, shootings, and organised crime, with authorities calling for urgent measures to restore safety in high-risk areas.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
