Ramaphosa Says Cape Flats Murder Rate Still Too High Despite Army Presence

President Cyril Ramaphosa has stated that violence in the Cape Flats area of Cape Town remains "unacceptably high," even after the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), according to a report by news24.com published on Wednesday, 02 September 2026.

The president’s remarks come as a candid acknowledgment that the military intervention has not fully curbed the ongoing gang-related bloodshed in the region. News24.com reports that Ramaphosa made the statement while assessing the impact of the army’s presence in the area, which was initially sent to assist local police in quelling the high murder rate.

Despite the sobering assessment of persistent violence, the president also framed the deployment as a partial success. In a separate report covered by EWN, Ramaphosa hailed the SANDF operation as effective in reducing murders in specific high-crime zones. This suggests that while overall violence levels remain a concern, the military’s presence has contributed to a measurable decline in certain hotspots.

cape flats

The dual message—acknowledging ongoing high violence while praising localized gains—highlights the complex security situation in the Cape Flats. The SANDF was deployed as a temporary measure to reinforce the South African Police Service, but the latest comments indicate that a lasting solution requires more than just a military presence.

Observers will be watching for the next steps from the government, particularly whether the SANDF deployment will be extended or if new civilian-led strategies will be introduced to address the root causes of the violence.