ANC: Military intervention will not solve crime
The African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape has described the planned march by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Nyanga, Cape Town on Thursday as 'foolish' and a 'publicity stunt.'
DA leader Mmusi Maimane, is scheduled to lead a march of an estimated thousands of Cape Town residents to the Nyanga Police Station to call on the ANC to deploy the army to crime-ridden communities in Cape Town.
However, the ANC's Yonela Diko says the deployment of troops in residential areas, does not solve the crime problem.
"There is no single experience whether it is in Cambodia or Brazil, it does not work," says Diko.
He adds bringing in the army is putting a bandage on a wound without healing the injury.
Diko says criminals are part of society’s fiber and residents may be caught in the crossfire.
"Because when the military comes in, with their warfare mentality, they will end up shooting civilians."
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Maimane's Spokesperson, Portia Adams, says Nyanga is the crime capital of South Africa.
"The reason that we are marching is to say more police officers and soldiers in crime-ridden areas like Nyanga," says Adams.
Adams says the failure to do so, is putting the lives of the residents at risk.
"Almost every week, there is a story coming out of Nyanga and surrounding areas of people that have been shot or children caught up in cross-fires as well."