SAPS, SANDF work to finalise deployment plan

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) have met to finalise the deployment plan of the defence force in Gauteng and the Western Cape, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has said.

“I can confirm that the SAPS National Commissioner General [Fannie] Masemola and the Chief of the SANDF General [Rudzani] Maphwanya, met [on Monday] to finalise the deployment plan which will begin next ten days,” the Minister said on Tuesday.

In the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday, 12 February 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of the SANDF to the two provinces. The deployment is aimed at helping the two provinces to tackle gang violence and illegal mining.

On the first of the two-day debate on the SONA, Cachalia said: “We have agreed that the method of deployment should learn from past experiences in South Africa, as well as experiences elsewhere.”

The Minister said the deployment must respect the legal mandates of the South African Police Service, the SANDF and the Constitution, having regard to the obligation to restore calm and stop the killings. 

In addition, Cachalia has asked the National Commissioner to take further steps to strengthen the Anti-Gang Units and to deploy further specialised units. 

“It is also going to be critical in this period to implement steps to strengthen the capabilities that are required for intelligence driven approaches to dismantle the networks behind organised crime.”

Multi-disciplinary task teams, including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) under the leadership of its newly appointed head Advocate Andy Mothibi, skilled and experienced detectives, officials from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the South African Revenue Service, among others, will be targeting the leadership, finances, firearms and logistics of these criminal networks. 

“I will be setting up a multi-stakeholder Organised Crime Advisory Council which will be overseeing the implementation of a comprehensive and integrated strategy to combat organised crime. It will rely on open-source information and analysis to support the monitoring and oversight responsibility of the Ministry [of Police],” said the Minister.

On the Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy (ICVPS), Cachalia said an all-of-government approach and all-of-society approach in the fight against crime, including organised crime, as provided for in the ICVPS is needed.

He said that this was necessary because crime also has socio-economic roots, adding that the social cluster departments of government including provincial and local government have a critical role to play to improve safety and security of our people across the country.  

“The Provincial Governments of the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, most effected by gang violence and various forms of organised crime such extortion, and illegal mining, have a critical role to play in ensuring that service delivery and the development needs of our most affected communities.

“We cannot fight gang violence and criminality by relying on law enforcement alone. Young people in these communities need opportunity and the prospect of a meaningful dignified future. In this regard I am in full agreement with the Cape Crime Crises Coalition (C4) that has emerged in response to the gang violence and with which I have kept close contact,” he said.

Gender-based violence and femicide

In his address the Minister also spoke about the levels of gender-based violence, rape and feminicide, saying the scourge was “unconscionable”.

“By declaring this a national disaster, the President has provided us with the impetus to tackle this issue with renewed vigour.”

He said that in his visits to communities in many parts of the country, particularly in the Eastern Cape, he had been shaken to the core by this kind of violence within families, and in the most intimate spaces between husbands and wives, adults and children. 

“I have therefore asked the Deputy Minister of Police, Dr Polly Boshielo to lead a process supported by the Civilian Secretariat for Police Services (CSPS) to make an assessment of the gaps in the current response of the SAPS and to propose remedies.”

The approach will include expanding and strengthening the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) units within SAPS, to improve docket quality, DNA evidence, and victim support at police stations.  

It will also require working with the Departments of Social Development, Health and Justice to ensure shelters, psychosocial support, and survivor centred services.

Community policing

Fighting crime and improving safety also requires an all-of-society approach, he said, adding that a renewed effort has to be made to involve communities.

“A renewed effort has to be made to involve communities across the country through Community Policing Forums, patroller programs, and neighbourhood watches. We do not have to impose a one size fits all approach.   

“Let me say however, I am particularly interested in the role that an expanded and incentivised patroller programme can play in involving communities in the fight against crime. 

“One option is for funding to be sourced by Provincial Governments from Presidential Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and the Community Works Programme (CWP). I see this programme as having social benefits because it has the potential to provide additional income support to families, together with old age pensions, disability grants, and child grants.”

Accountability, reform

In the SONA, the President also announced steps to improve accountability which include subjecting senior management of the SAPS to vetting and lifestyle audits by the State Security Agency (SSA). 

Cachalia said he will be expecting a report on the implementation of the Presidential directives from the National Commissioner. 

“I have made it clear that the establishment of the Madlanga Commission is a moment for the country to reset policing on a positive trajectory. I have already started implementing the interim recommendations through dedicated task team,” he remarked.

He said public trust in the police is crucial for success and that this can be achieved through enhanced accountability, professionalism and constitutionalism. 

The Minister said he was considering implementing the recommendations of the National Planning Commission to establish a National Police Board to provide advice to the National Commissioner and the Minister on the police reform agenda.

The Civilian Secretariate has already prepared legislation on the establishment of the board. – SAnews.gov.za

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