The deployment of soldiers to address rampant gangsterism across South Africa has commenced in select regions, but a comprehensive rollout remains some way off, Police Minister Firoz Cachalia acknowledged on Saturday. The minister made the remarks while visiting the Sophiatown police station in Johannesburg, situated near the scene of a devastating mass shooting in Westbury on Thursday evening that claimed the life of a mother and left four others wounded, including a 15-month-old infant.
Nearly a month after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the South African National Defence Force would be sent into the Western Cape, Gauteng, and subsequently the Eastern Cape to confront gang violence and illegal mining, communities plagued by crime in these provinces have grown increasingly restless awaiting a visible military presence. The operation has since been broadened to encompass the North West and Free State. Cachalia conceded that the process was taking longer than initially anticipated, citing the inherent dangers of military deployment. He stressed the necessity of ensuring soldiers fully comprehend their mandate and receive adequate preparation to prevent civilians from being harmed or caught in crossfire.
The minister noted that once deployed, troops would concentrate on areas ravaged by gang activity and unlawful mining operations. He characterised the intervention as a stabilisation measure rather than a definitive solution, underscoring the need to bolster policing capacity to address the entrenched scourge of gang violence in the interim.
Thursday's fatal shooting occurred at the intersection of Larkspur Court and Jacaranda Court in Westbury, where a group of individuals were targeted by an unidentified number of assailants. Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that all five victims suffered gunshot injuries, with one adult woman pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital. The motive behind the attack remained unclear, though Nevhuhulwi indicated that investigators had made meaningful headway and were pursuing leads on possible suspects.
Cachalia pledged considerable resources toward strengthening the Anti-Gang Unit in Gauteng, acknowledging that these units were presently under-equipped and required reassessment to mount an effective response. He also highlighted the value of community-based crime prevention efforts, including neighbourhood patrols, and revealed he was investigating funding mechanisms to offer stipends and training to volunteer patrollers. The minister described the Westbury incident as deeply distressing and confirmed plans to visit the injured baby girl in hospital that afternoon.
Despite these assurances, a frustrated local resident lambasted the minister's fleeting appearance at the police station, calling his brief visit disrespectful and an affront to the Westbury community. She demanded clarity on when troops would arrive, questioning why the minister chose to visit a hospital rather than engage directly with bereaved families living in perpetual fear. "The army must be deployed because our children are dying prematurely in the streets of Westbury, Eldorado Park, and other areas every day," she declared.
