Western Cape Premier Winde delays decision on SANDF deployment to gang hotspots

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde says the province has not yet made up its mind on the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to gang hotspots.

Speaking during the province's safety briefing, Winde confirmed he has written to the Defence and Police Ministers requesting data on the effectiveness of army deployment.

This action follows renewed calls to deploy the military in Cape Town as gang and gun violence escalates.

Latest crime statistics reveal that gang activity is the biggest contributor to contact crimes across several police precincts in the metro. Mfuleni, Nyanga, Delft, and Kraaifontein police stations feature in the top five stations with the highest number of contact crimes in the country.

Winde explained he is waiting on reports from both Ministers before deciding on military deployment:

"Because we believe in data and evidence, and what would that data look like if we had to have them redeployed so that we can make up our minds on whether we support this call or we don't, and for what reason is a yes or a no."

Winde added that he has also been receiving calls to declare the province's high crime rate a disaster.

He clarified the process for a disaster declaration: "We've seen a disaster declaration against Gender Based Violence at a national level, and there are processes and plans happening, what would the process be. I just want people to understand that in a province, they keep on saying the Premier can declare a disaster; that's not actually true. We would declare a disaster, an intention in the province, but it still has to be finalised and declared by the National Disaster Centre."