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For many of Cape Town's most dangerous neighborhoods, it's been a weekend of relief as the army has begun rolling, part of a measure to curb runaway levels of violent crimes that continue to plague its communities.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa authorized the deployment of the countries national defense force after calls were made by desperate community members for security intervention.
In Cape Town, the fight against gangsterism and drugs is multifaceted as there are socio-economic issues such as high unemployment levels at play, with gang activity finding fertile ground in impoverished neighborhoods.
Armored personnel carriers of South African National Defense Force stand guard in Blikkiesdorp, a neighborhood of Cape Town, South Africa. /CGTN Photo
Police resources have been used to curb the gang activity but to no avail and success, the gangsters are simply finding new ways to navigate around the loopholes.
Most of the killings that the Army has been brought in to curtail have been due to gang activity and the fight over turfs. Kids are also the victims in crossfires when the gangs start fighting each other.
Ten communities have been identified as the most dangerous in Cape Town, which require the army patrol and intervention. Six of the ten are considered the most dangerous in all of South Africa.
The Army officers receive cheers from locals when they arrive in the neighborhoods suffering from a staggering murder rate, Cape Town, South Africa. /CGTN Photo
The staggering murder rate is usually what leads to the army being brought in.
In one neighborhood where the army was being deployed, 43 people were killed over a weekend and 11 of them lost their lives in 24 hours, all shot to death.
The Defense Force is now operating as a force multiplayer to the police by providing the backup and heavy-armed presence, while the police do their job carrying out arrests and drug searches.
More than 1,320 army officers have been deployed to bring stability to Cape Town's streets and with them a number of military assets including armored personnel carriers.
Vehicles are stopped for inspection before leaving the gang-ridden communities in order to prevent drug trafficking, Cape Town, South Africa. /CGTN Photo
The army has some form of public security order as they are used to bring peace on the streets of Bangui in the Central African Republic as part of an African Union mandated security force.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's deployment of the army to Cape Town's gang-ridden neighborhoods has been broadly welcomed across the political divide as an important measure to bring safety to the locals.
The army will patrol the streets of the capital city for the next months as ordered by the President. Many hope that they can finally make an impact on fighting against gangsterism, drugs, and violent crimes.