Lavender Hill community worker says deployment of SANDF will be welcome relief

A community worker who provides a safe space for children in Lavender Hill said the imminent deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to gang hotspots will be a welcome relief.

Recent crime statistics show the gang-ravaged community is among the top 13 areas with gang-related murders in the country.

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NGO Rise Above Development (RAD) provides children in the area with a safe space when gang violence flares up.

RAD general manager Adele Campbell said the SANDF deployment will give children more freedom.

"Fear is instilled in our kids and it's actually a shame because as a resident of Lavender Hill, we're normally just used to play, eat and sleep. Nowadays, these kids need to duck and dive for bullets, where I feel it is so unfair to these kids."

Meanwhile, a Lavender Hill resident who lives in a gang-infested area of the community has a different view.

"What is the purpose? What are they going to do? Because they leave... they're actually not serving nothing here... they're not serving a purpose here from my point of view."

Western Cape South African Police Service (SAPS) said that SANDF troops are set to be deployed to gang hotspots in Cape Town next week.