South Africa is set to deploy its army to tackle rampant crime, a move described by President Cyril Ramaphosa as essential for the nation's future. The deployment, an unusual step for Africa's leading democracy, will target organised crime, gang violence, and illegal mining in areas plagued by some of the world's highest rates of violent crime.
President Ramaphosa stated that soldiers would be sent to combat what he described as the "most immediate threat" to South Africa’s democracy and economic development. The operation will span three of the country’s nine provinces, though a specific timeline for the deployment has not been provided. However, the decision has drawn criticism, with some observers suggesting the army's involvement signals an admission that the Ramaphosa government is struggling to control the escalating crime wave.
