South Africa’s (SA) member of parliament (MP) and Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, has criticised the early planning stages of deploying soldiers to support policing efforts, describing the process as poorly co-ordinated.
The deployment was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the State of the Nation Address, with members of the SA National Defence Force expected to assist the SA Police Service in tackling gangsterism and illegal mining.
Cameron says the pre-deployment phase has been “lethargic and poorly coordinated”, raising concerns about readiness. He stressed the need for a more structured and collaborative approach between the police and the military.
He added that, if properly co-ordinated, the deployment could act as a force multiplier, combining specialised police units with trained soldiers in intelligence-led operations to effectively combat crime.
–ChannelAfrica–
