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Preparations are underway for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address in Cape Town.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to deploy the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to gang-ridden areas in the province.
The deployment, which has also been extended to Gauteng, is aimed at assisting police in combating gun violence. Ramaphosa made the announcement during his 2026 State of the Nation Address on Thursday evening.
Winde says the intervention would provide short-term relief but stressed that more needs to be done to strengthen policing capacity in the province.
VIDEO | Ramaphosa announces SANDF deployment to Western Cape:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWjSLjYvQ2c
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa has expressed satisfaction with the decision to deploy soldiers to both Gauteng and the Western Cape to deal with violent crime.
“The Department of Defence is already planning to roll out the soldiers to do their work as per instructions by the President. What we are expecting to do now is to get a word from Parliament to say go move in. Then we move in. Within two weeks, I am sure we will be deploying troops working with the police and making sure that the orders of the President are carried out. But I need to ask the people of South Africa that we are going to require cooperation from them,” says Holomisa.
Meanwhile, Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie says the President addressed key concerns affecting South Africans.
“The best that President Ramaphosa has ever given. He spoke about all the issues. The president has delivered the best State of the Nation. GNU partners that are complaining about the President’s speech are being very dishonest because the President was consulting with us. The President was very consultative. He spoke for me, what is the most was the army being unleashed for the gang problem in Cape Town. He spoke to me about the illegal foreigners…”
“He spoke about businesses that are hiring illegal foreigners. He spoke about District Six. For me, the President has truly…we have turned the corner as the GNU. We are not where we want to be, but we are not where we used to be. But we are turning the corner. GNU iyasebetsa,” McKenzie added.
ANC treasurer-general Dr Gwen Ramokgopa described the speech as inspiring.
“I am very inspired by the president’s speech. Actually, I was saying to someone that this is a speech that will leave a legacy for the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa. I think over the years he has worked hard to turn around the decay that he inherited, destabilised by the COVID-19 pandemic and the global problems, but he has stood firm to say that South Africa shall and will be better under my leadership. And yes, we appreciate that it is a GNU that he is leading,” says Ramokgopa.
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