Should SANDF step in to help SAPS? 'It's putting a plaster on a wound' – SU professor

CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit interviews Lindy Heinecken, Professor of Sociology at Stellenbosch University.

Listen below:

South Africa continues to grapple with persistently high crime rates.

In response to this ongoing challenge, ANC MP Dakota Legoete, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, has proposed a formal national operation to combat crime – one that includes the involvement of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

According to Professor Lindy Heinecken, there are both advantages and drawbacks to this approach.

On the one hand, she acknowledges that the military is often called upon in times of crisis, due to the perception that they possess the necessary resources, specialised capabilities, and discipline that could assist the overstretched and under-resourced police force.

"Calling in the military in these roles is often considered an option."

- Lindy Heinecken, Professor of Sociology at Stellenbosch University

However, Heinecken cautions that the deployment of the military is merely a short-term solution – “putting a plaster on a wound,” as she puts it.

She warns that there are significant downsides to using the SANDF for crime prevention, including the fact that it falls outside their core training and constitutional mandate.

Additionally, Heinecken points out the legal limitations: the military is not authorised to conduct criminal investigations, which significantly restricts their effectiveness in a comprehensive crime-fighting strategy.

"As we see when the military is often deployed, they are guilty of excessive force and human rights violations, and this has a very negative impact on public trust."

- Lindy Heinecken, Professor of Sociology at Stellenbosch University

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.