Holomisa vows ‘no nonsense’, says SANDF ready to move into crime hotspots

As soldiers head into communities ravaged by gangsterism, Deputy Defence Minister Bantu Holomisa is promising a 'no nonsense' approach to the deployment.

During his recent State of the Nation Address, President Cyril Ramaphosa called organised crime the biggest threat to South Africa’s democracy.

He announced that members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) would be sent into parts of the Western Cape and Gauteng.

But with memories like that of Collins Khosa (the Alexandra resident assaulted by soldiers during the COVID-19 lockdown) still fresh, many are asking whether boots on the ground will bring safety or more fear.

Holomisa says there will be clear lines that soldiers cannot cross.

"It simply means that if we have a road block with the police, and then you are stopped, you have to stop. Not to try funny tricks or try to pull a gun."

It's as simple as that, he says.

"You have to cooperate."

Pushing back against fear of heavy-handedness, Holomisa says troops are trained to operate within the Constitution and strict rules of engagement.

He says he's confident that incidents like that involving Khosa can be used as a learning tool going forward. Deployed troops will have their mission and mandate explained to them, he says.

"When you are in a township, city, village, these are the rules, this is how you will behave. You are not there to carry warrants of arrest but to protect the police so that they can do their work.

Holomisa adds that he hopes the mandate of the army will eventually extend beyond gang violence and illegal mining.

"You have people here who are hijacking vehicles across the borders, you have people who are here illegally who are committing crimes, people here who are not complying with the rules and regulations."

Questions remain as to the cost of the military deployment.

"We are ready to deploy immediately. We will utilise the current budget allocation we have, because our responsibility is to make sure South Africa is safe."

And if the budget does not cover the cost?

National Treasury will make a plan, says Holomisa, if the budget does not cover costs.

For more details, listen to Holomisa using the audio player below: