Patekile confirms army deployment to Cape Flats to tackle gang violence

Western Cape Police Commissioner Thembisile Patekile could not give a clear indication on when the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops will be deployed to gang-ridden areas in the province, but says they will be deployed soon.

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday announced that the army will be deployed to tackle gang violence in the province.

Patekile was briefing an integrated South African Police Service (SAPS) unit in Belhar on Friday ahead of their deployment to various crime hotspots.

Western Cape Provincial Commissioner Thembisile Patekile says the SANDF will be working with SAPS in various gang-ridden areas in the Western Cape -- but mostly in Cape Town.

"City of Cape Town is generating 80 to 85% of our crime in the Western Cape. So we are going to be focusing on the city, particularly the Cape Flats."

Patekile says the focus will be to bring down the murder rate in the province.

"We are talking about the gang areas and the areas where extortion and taxi violence is rife. So if we focus on those areas and reduce the murders there, then the City of Cape Town will be safer."

Patekile says the SANDF will be deployed in specific areas in the coming days.