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19 March 2026
Chairperson of the session, Mr Mothapo,
Chairpersons of Portfolio and Select Committees,
Members of the media and stakeholders,
Good Afternoon,
Let me also rise on the protocol as observed by the Chairperson of the session. I would normally start where we always start. States exist for three priorities. The first priority is to feed your people. The second priority is to develop your people. The third priority is to defend your people. Now, defence and security are among the state government’s priorities, because without these three, any state loses its legitimacy and becomes a problem.
Global and National Security Context
Now, in another context, we are at a point where we need to realise that peace is not permanent. For the first time since the Second World War, the global geopolitics have turned in a way that proves that peace is not guaranteed. As a nation, we are bound to prepare for any threat to our sovereignty or to our republic. So it is incumbent upon us to do that. The same case applies to the challenge we have of crime and the criminal element in our republic.
Scale of Crime and National Crisis
The criminal element has grown to the extent that it undermines the sovereignty of our country, which is housed through this Parliament. We are at a point where over 26 000 South Africans have died in a year at the hands of the criminal element.
Honourable Member Cameron stated that even if you break that number down, it means that people die every day at the hands of criminals. Now, these are not just numbers. These numbers are comparable to those in conflict zones such as Gaza, Ukraine, and other parts of the world. But in our country, we normalise it. We are not victim-centric. The focus is on the rights of perpetrators, the criminal element and we forget that over 26 000 people have ceased to exist and to live. That is a serious matter of concern.
Need for National Response and Patriotism
We know the criminal element. We have intelligence reports that we must act on. It is therefore a matter that requires action. But again, we need to be patriots. We need to love our country and our fellow citizens. Sometimes we are too timid to confront these issues directly. The same call we are making to all parliamentarians is that we must understand that this is about our national interest. It is beyond politics. The security threats we face must be responded to in a way that benefits all of us and protects the future of our children.
Support for SANDF Deployment
That is why we, as the Portfolio Committee on Defence, support the President’s initiative to deploy the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to collaborate and cooperate with the South African Police Service in fighting crime, consistent with the constitutional mandate outlined in Section 200(2). When 26 000 people die at the hands of criminals, that is comparable to a war situation. Yet we are not officially at war. Now, it is not something that the police alone can manage. The SANDF needs to come in, because some of these criminals use high-calibre weapons, automatic rifles and access to sophisticated arms.
Criminal Networks and Security Failures
Some of these weapons are accessed through security companies. You must ask yourself, who regulates these security licences? Some individuals obtain licences and then divert those weapons into criminal activity, including extortion and protection rackets. This creates a situation in which ordinary citizens are forced to pay protection fees while also paying taxes to fund the very institutions meant to protect them. This cannot continue.
Constitutional and Oversight Framework
We support the President. However, this must be understood within the constitutional framework. Section 201(2) provides that the prerogative to deploy the SANDF lies with the President, as head of the executive. Section 201(3) requires that Parliament be informed of the reasons, location, personnel involved, cost and duration of the deployment. So our role as the Portfolio Committee is oversight, to ensure that resources are properly used and that the deployment is accountable.
Limits of Deployment and Need for Long-Term Solutions
We must also be clear that this intervention must not be long-term. It is not a permanent solution. We have engaged extensively with academics, universities, psychologists, economists and other experts, and one of the consistent messages is that military deployment must be temporary. We need sustainable, long-term solutions.
Intelligence and Coordination
One of the key solutions is the integration of intelligence. We need a fusion centre, supported by artificial intelligence, where crime intelligence and other security agencies collaborate.
Such a system must allow communities to report safely, without fear of being targeted. Instead of whistleblowers being killed, they should be protected through secure reporting mechanisms. Through intelligence and technology, we can identify and disrupt criminal networks across the country.
Multi-Departmental Response
We also need a multidisciplinary approach involving SAPS, SANDF, SARS, the Border Management Authority, the Department of Social Development, the Department of Home Affairs, and others. This is about a permanent solution. Why must the army come in? It is to stabilise the situation. But stabilisation must be followed by systemic intervention.
Economic Crime, Borders and Enforcement
We must also deal with unexplained wealth. Individuals involved in crime who cannot account for their income must be investigated through SARS. Border management must ensure that undocumented individuals involved in criminal activities are processed and, where applicable, deported in accordance with the law. This must be done within the legal framework, but firmly enforced.
Social Interventions
We must also introduce psychosocial support and skills development interventions. The Department of Labour must assist in providing skills to those who may otherwise be drawn into criminal networks. We must also address illegal mining and illicit substances, which are major drivers of crime.
Economic Impact of Crime
Crime has a direct economic cost. If one calculates even a conservative cost per incident, the financial burden on society runs into billions. Security is not an expense. It is an investment. Without security, there can be no economic growth, no job creation and no stability.
Defence and security are not optional. It is a core responsibility of the state. No defence and security means no safety for citizens. We cannot continue to fail our people or misrepresent the seriousness of this crisis.
Thank you.
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