Troops welcome in CT
IN DEMOCRACIES, military forces are not generally used to maintain law and order.
That is the job of the police. Military forces are trained to defend the country against external aggressors and to do rescue work in times of disaster such as serious train crashes, earthquakes and large-scale flooding. The line does become somewhat blurred with peace-keeping forces being sent to countries ravaged by civil war and disruption. South Africa has played an honourable and vital role in this regard on our continent.
However, to summon troops to restore law and order in our townships is something not to be encouraged, not least because such deployment is anathema to democrats who correctly see the role of the military as a military one, and not a policing one.
Despite that, it would be terribly short-sighted to oppose the deployment of troops to the townships of the Western Cape. Murder is rampant, gangs have taken over and life is impossible for the vast majority of decent and law-abiding people. The arrival of the SANDF ought to be applauded – 43 murders in one weekend creates a situation as serious as a war-zone and justifies newspaper headlines to the effect that Cape Town has become the murder capital of the world.
This situation did not start yesterday. Helen Zille, the former premier of the Western Cape, called years ago for the deployment of troops to the province because the situation had deteriorated badly and many innocent people were losing their lives.
The government refused the request, lecturing her about democratic theory and the role of the military. Thousands of crimes and many hundreds of murders later, the blood of the victims is on the hands of successive police ministers and the government that failed to act.
The Western Cape has a startling shortage of police officers compared with the rest of the country. Some wonder whether this is “payment” by the authorities for the citizens daring to vote for the DA. They have one police officer for every 543 citizens, whereas other provinces are far better staffed. The police are often accused of being part of the problem, with gangs holding them in thrall with bribes and threats. Criminals run rampant and the community suffers in the face of their crimes.
The deployment of troops gives the SAPS time to start detecting crime, investigating cases and arresting accused persons. They should also be able to regroup and have time to recruit, begin training and sending police officers from elsewhere in the country to ensure that law and order is maintained when the military personnel leave.
It is encouraging that Premier Alan Winde is already planning and foreshadowing active steps by the Western Cape for that time and these include finding funds, shaking up the police reservists and encouraging members of the community to help in restoring peace and calm by co-operating with the police.
One hopes these steps will lead to a better life for ordinary citizens. They should not have to live in fear for their own and their children’s lives. Cape Town is the jewel in the crown of the tourist industry and it must be made safe for citizens and for visitors if we are to reap the huge benefits tourism will bring. Douglas Gibson is a former opposition chief whip and former ambassador to Thailand