Why the Army Alone Won’t Stop the Killings – It’s Time to Fix the Justice System
CCN Editor & Reporter – George April
Cape Town:- Four people were killed and at least three others injured in separate shooting incidents in Mitchells Plain on Tuesday, as gang violence continues to grip the Cape Flats.
That is despite the recent deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) under Operation Prosper. According to reports, a mass shooting in the Town Centre area left three dead at the scene and several wounded. This followed an earlier morning shooting in which a man, believed to be a taxi driver, was gunned down.
Community members and observers warn that such incidents are likely to increase in frequency. Gangsters, now feeling the pressure from soldiers on the streets, are expected to reassert their control and dominance through more brazen acts of violence.
While the visible presence of the army has been welcomed by desperate residents, many argue that military deployment is only a temporary bandage.
The real solution, they say, lies in a complete overhaul of the criminal justice and prison system.
“Hardcore gangsters no longer fear prison,” say critics. For some, time behind bars is more like a holiday than punishment. Inside, they receive two meals a day, regular showers, and a roof over their heads, basic necessities that many poor families on the outside struggle to afford.
The weekend raid at Pollsmoor Correctional Centre, led by National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale, exposed the extent of the problem once again. Officials seized dozens of cellphones, drugs (including tik and mandrax), cash, routers, chargers, sharp objects and other contraband. These “luxuries” continue to flow into prisons through visitors, court appearances, hospital visits, and sometimes with the help of corrupt officials, often without serious consequences or prosecutions.
Pollsmoor, originally built for around 4,000 inmates, now houses nearly double that number, leading to severe overcrowding. This environment allows prison gangs to thrive and makes genuine rehabilitation almost impossible.
Many residents feel that prisons currently offer more rights and comforts to convicted criminals, than are enjoyed by victims and law-abiding citizens on the streets.
The cycle continues: gangsters are arrested, enter the system, enjoy relatively comfortable conditions, and eventually return to the streets to commit more crimes.
As shootings persist even with SANDF troops patrolling hotspots like Mitchells Plain, the question on everyone’s mind is clear: How long will communities have to wait for real deterrence, faster investigations, higher conviction rates, stricter sentences, and prisons that actually punish and rehabilitate rather than serve as holiday resorts?
The Department of Correctional Services conducts regular surprise searches, but the repeated discovery of large quantities of contraband highlights deep systemic failures.
This is no longer just about more police or soldiers on the ground. Cape Flats communities are demanding meaningful reform of the justice system, one that puts the fear of prison back into criminals and delivers real justice to victims.
The story is developing.
More updates are expected as police and military investigations continue.
