SANDF Arrives in Gqeberha As Crime-Fighting Operation Gets Underway

• The 300 SANDF troops deployed to Gqeberha have arrived to support SAPS in tackling crime in high-risk communities
• Footage of the troops heading to the Gelvandale police station in the Eastern Cape was captured and widely circulated on X
• The operation will target drug networks, illegal firearms and extortion syndicates, with troops expected to remain in the Eastern Cape until March next year

EASTERN CAPE—300 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) troops have arrived in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, to assist police in combating crime in some of the province’s hardest-hit communities.

The operation, which officially began this morning, 3 April 2026, will focus on dismantling drug networks, removing illegal firearms, and tackling extortion syndicates.

SANDF touches down in Gqeberha

Footage shared on X on Friday morning shows law enforcement officials assembling at Gelvandale police station, where SANDF members and SAPS are coordinating their efforts. The troops are currently undergoing orientation to ensure smooth collaboration and to guarantee that all operations are conducted within legal frameworks and respect community rights.

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The deployment will prioritise hotspots in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and the Sarah Baartman District. Authorities have described this as the first phase of a broader rollout, with additional areas such as Mthatha expected to receive SANDF support in the near future.

See X post here:

EC Police speak on the crime-fighting efforts

Eastern Cape police spokesperson Nobuntu Gantana has welcomed the deployment, calling it a much-needed boost in the fight against crime. She stressed that the orientation process is crucial for seamless cooperation between the military and police.

“I am confident that we will reclaim our communities and make an incredible impact in fighting crime,” she said.

Authorities say SANDF members will remain on the ground until March next year, working alongside SAPS to restore safety and stability in affected communities across the Eastern Cape.

SANDF in the Western Cape

Two days ago, the army touched down in the Western Cape to fight crime, particularly gangsterism that plagues areas like the Cape Flats. A joint operational parade took place in Belhar, bringing together the South African Police Service, SANDF, and local law enforcement agencies. Footage of the parade was posted on X, with many South Africans expressing some reserved optimism that their presence will quell the gang violence in some of the hardest-hit neighbourhoods.

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The army hits Johannesburg crime hot spots

There is optimism that these deployments will make a difference as the SANDF hit the ground running in Gauteng during its first day of crime fighting in February. The joint operation with the police saw several arrests on the first day of patrolling crime hotspots. Soldiers conducted door-to-door searches at homes suspected of criminal activity, including a raid in Westbury, where a young boy was allegedly taken in for questioning.

Previously, Briefly News reported that on 13 March 2026, the Presidency officially announced that President Ramaphosa authorised the deployment of 2,200 soldiers to support the SAPS in five provinces. The provinces are the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, North West and Western Cape. The operation, which targets illegal mining and gangsterism, will last until 31 March 2027 and is estimated to cost over R823 million.

Source: Briefly News