MITCHELL’S PLAIN, Western Cape — The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) deployment aimed at combating Cape Flats gang violence has failed to yield meaningful results, according to residents of Mitchell’s Plain.
While the national government recently allocated R823 million to deploy soldiers to tackle gang violence and illegal mining across the country, locals in the Western Cape argue the funds are not translating into safer streets. Gang shootings persist in the region, and between April and August of this year, more than 1,200 people were killed on the Cape Flats despite the active military presence.
Adding to the community’s frustration, soldiers were withdrawn from Mitchell’s Plain last week without any prior consultation with local stakeholders.
Byron de Villiers, a community activist and Community Policing Forum (CPF) member in the Lentegeur area, contrasted the current military operation with a previous deployment, highlighting a stark difference in execution and results.
“Back in 2019, when soldiers were brought in for three months at a cost of R23 million, there was success,” de Villiers explained. He noted that prior to that deployment, 56 people were killed due to gang violence in October and November of that year. “They engaged the community, the CPFs were involved in operational information, and the killings declined almost immediately.”
Conversely, de Villiers described the recent deployment as having no positive impact. “It was more negative than anything else. They mishandled and abused our communities, and there was no community engagement this time around,” he stated.
Lynn Phillips from the Cape Flats Safety Forum echoed these sentiments, questioning the allocation of such a massive budget without tangible, on-the-ground results. Phillips argued that the focus should shift toward addressing the root causes of the violence.
“Crime is a socio-economic challenge,” Phillips stated. “If we don’t utilize that funding to upgrade our communities—addressing spatial planning and social ills—we will not see an impact in crime.”
Phillips emphasized that the killings are currently continuing unabated, noting the severe toll on the youth, with children being shot while crossing the road or walking to school.
Regarding the sudden military exit from Mitchell’s Plain, Phillips noted that stakeholders were never informed of the decision. Although the Safety Forum initially requested the army’s return based on the successes of 2019, their stance shifted as the current deployment progressed.
“We received so much negativity towards the army this time… more people were being abused by the military, so why are we hosting them when it’s a futile exercise?” Phillips asked. He added that soldiers were diverted from their core duties, lacking the crucial operational intelligence previously provided by community legislative structures.
Despite the current criticisms and the recent unconsulted withdrawal in Mitchell’s Plain, the military is officially scheduled to remain deployed in the region until March 2027.
