South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops deployed to Johannesburg communities on 11 March 2026 following President Cyril Ramaphosa's February announcement, eliciting cheers from locals battling gangsterism and drugs but pleas for a lasting military footprint.
A convoy of at least 25 SANDF vehicles rolled through Riverlea on 11 March 2026, met with shouts of 'Make our place peaceful' from residents, thumbs-up gestures, and cheers from schoolchildren. Officers at Sophiatown Police Station even photographed the procession.
In Westbury, Innocentia Otto, 42, welcomed patrols, saying, 'I’m honoured by their presence. We feel like, for the first time, we are being heard as a community. They must stay.' Belinda Samuels, 65, echoed calls for permanence and suggested reinstating the death penalty.
The deployment, announced by Ramaphosa in his State of the Nation Address, sends 500 troops to Gauteng—alongside Western Cape and Eastern Cape—to aid police against gangsterism and illegal mining until end-April 2027, at R80-million cost.
Skepticism persists: a 72-year-old Riverlea pensioner feared escalation post-withdrawal, citing past temporary efforts. Some decried the expense as wasteful. An 84-year-old demanded government change, alleging corruption.
On day one, SANDF and police raided Newlands flats, arresting two men. Activist Winston Daniels, 62, whose sons battle addiction, criticized police inaction and hoped for lasting army support. Teen Nover Kok, 18, stressed protecting youth from drugs and gangs.
