Ramaphosa says gang violence persists due to "entrenched criminal networks"

President Cyril Ramaphosa told parliament that the army’s deployment under Operation Prosper – involving more than 2,000 soldiers working with police in identified crime hotspots – has led to measurable drops in murders and other violent offences in most of the 17 precincts most affected by gang activity, particularly in the Western Cape and the Cape Town metropolitan area. He noted the move was prompted by a written question from the uMkhonto weSizwe Party and said the assessment relied on data such as reduced homicide rates and increased arrests. While acknowledging that gang‑related attacks continue, he linked the persistence of violence to chronic poverty and well‑rooted criminal organisations, underscoring the deployment’s perceived stabilising impact.