Ian Cameron says SANDF deployment in WC proving to be futile

Chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, says the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and police's Operation Prosper to curb gang violence in the Western Cape had been haphazard so far.

Officials recorded 22 shootings in Mitchells Plain, Manenberg, Lotus River, Delft, Elsies River and Bishop Lavis over the Easter long weekend.

Since being deployed in Cape Town on Wednesday last week, Operation Prosper has reported only two arrests in Elsies River, where two men were nabbed for possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.

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Cameron said Parliament was initially told more than 800 soldiers would be deployed to the Western Cape.

"At the beginning of last week, they said to us they would send just over 100 and then once the deployment started in Mitchells Plain last week, we noted that there had been just over 200 soldiers deployed," he said.

Cameron, who joined the troops in Mitchells Plain last week, said the numbers should not matter.

"If an operation is intelligence-led and prosecution-driven, it shouldn't be a problem. In fact, with quite a small team of police members and soldiers, you would be able to make a significant impact," he added.

He said police and the army should also make better use of local law enforcement and metro police during the operation.