South African soldiers moved into gang-violence hotspots in Johannesburg on Wednesday to support police efforts to tackle high crime levels, described by President Cyril Ramaphosa as one of the biggest threats facing the country.
Five hundred and fifty SANDF soldiers have been deployed to Gauteng at an estimated cost of R80 million for the year ahead.
Around a dozen armed vehicles rolled into suburbs just west of Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic powerhouse, to begin a deployment announced by Ramaphosa a month ago.
Armed and uniformed soldiers backed by police conducted house-to-house searches, lifting mattresses and opening cupboards as they asked about drugs and weapons.
The areas, including Riverlea and Westbury, experience regular shootings and murders linked to turf wars between gangs.
Whilst some residents appeared to welcome the presence of the soldiers, a man who gave his name only as Ali expressed doubt about the initiative.
“Nothing is going to change,” he said. “They are going to be here for a few days and then everything will go back to normal.”
“Is this the real deal?” an elderly man shouted at a passing army convoy in Riverlea. A woman was murdered in a nearby apartment block this week, he said.
South Africa’s high crime rate includes an average of 60 murders a day, many linked to turf battles between gangs involved in drugs and illegal mining.
“Organised crime is now the most immediate threat to our democracy, our society and our economic development,” Ramaphosa said in a state of the nation address last month.
The military deployment will last a year and cover five of the nine provinces, including the Western Cape, home to tourist hub Cape Town, according to a plan presented to parliament.
The measure has drawn criticism from experts and opposition politicians who say troops lack policing skills.
ALSO READ: Army deployment in South Africa crime hotspots to last a year
