South Africa deploys soldiers to cities as violent crime surges
Mar 11th 2026
The government is sending troops into urban areas to tackle a wave of gang violence and illegal mining after repeated deadly attacks, but the move is controversial because the military is not trained for routine police work and the deployment could be long term.
- Around 64 people are killed across South Africa each day, with cities like Pietermaritzburg, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban and Gqeberha among the most dangerous.
- The government has sent 550 soldiers to Gauteng and deployed troops to the North West, Free State, Western Cape and Eastern Cape to target illegal mining and gang violence.
- Deployments have been seen on Johannesburg streets and officials say parts of the operation could last more than a year.
- Critics warn soldiers are not trained for policing and that military roles may shift or worsen criminal activity and create institutional friction.
- Officials and some experts say stronger action is needed, while others call for more intelligence-led policing rather than prolonged military involvement.