SANDF boots to hit the ground in Western Cape crime hotspots soon

Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile has said that the SANDF will be deployed to specific areas in the Western Cape in the coming days.

This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement at the State of the Nation Address that the army will be deployed to tackle gang violence in the province.

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Patekile said the SANDF will be working together with SAPS in various gang-ridden areas mostly situated in Cape Town.

"Cape town is generating 80 to 85 percent of our crime in the western cape. So, we are going to be focusing on the city, particularly the Cape Flats," said Patekile.

Patekile said the integrated deployment will have a strict mandate.

"We are talking about the gang areas and the areas where extortion and taxi violence is rife. So, if focus on those areas and reduce the murders there then the city of cape town will be safer," said Patekile.

Patekile added the deployment will focus on Cape Town but will not ignore other areas outside the city affected by gang violence.