South Africans are waking up to a new reality in the fight against crime—one where soldiers, not just police, are now patrolling some of the country’s most dangerous communities. Members of the South African National Defence Forcehave been deployed to crime hotspots across five provinces, including parts of Cape Town’s gang-infested Mitchells Plain, where raids have already led to arrests and drug seizures. This forms part of Operation Prosper, a large-scale intervention approved by President Cyril Ramaphosa, with more than 2,200 troops expected to assist the South African Police Service in tackling gangsterism, extortion, and violent crime. Authorities insist the operations are intelligence-driven and targeted—but the big question remains: is this a necessary show of force, or a sign that policing alone is no longer enough? Tonight, we examine whether putting soldiers on the
streets will bring lasting safety—or whether it raises deeper concerns about the militarisation of law
enforcement in South Africa.