In a decisive move to combat escalating crime rates, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist police in tackling organized crime, gang violence, and illegal mining in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces. This development was highlighted in Ramaphosa's 10th State of the Nation Address, where he described organized crime as 'the most immediate threat' to the nation (Daily Times, February 13, 2026). The deployment aims to address the severe crime crisis, with approximately 63 people killed daily due to gang wars and illegal mining conflicts, as reported by Firstpost. Ramaphosa's strategy includes recruiting over 5,500 new police officers and tightening gun laws to support these efforts (WION, February 13, 2026).